“Each of us has an exaggerated mental picture of our body…Touch fills our memory with a detailed key as to how we’re shaped. A mirror would mean nothing without touch. We are forever taking the measure of ourselves in unconscious ways.” - A Natural History of the Senses, Diane Ackerman
In my first piece, I wanted to focus on the commentary on pages 95-96 of the Touch chapter and expand on the thoughts we have as humans, critiquing and criticizing ourselves. I have wrapped one face entirely in gauze, with bandages over the eyes, covering up all skin areas to the point where you can no longer see who is underneath. As it says, “we are forever taking the measure of ourselves in unconscious ways,” I interpreted it onto the medium as a result to this comment. Gauze and bandages are used for healing and protection and they cover up marks, scars, or blemishes that society deems inappropriate if left unrevealed. Many people of all ages battle with acne or other facial blemishes and disfiguration, yet society continues to call these unnatural, leaving those suffering no choice but to feel they must cover it and hide it.
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