Unique. A word that has been consistently misused and abused; ripped open and voided of all meaning, and the tattered remains signify "interesting" or "unusual" more than the original definition of " one of a kind."
While working at a record label where my role, essentially, was to find hip new neighborhoods for said company to flood the markets, I was confronted with boundless boutiques, health food stores, confectionaries, and art galleries who branded themselves "unique." My year-long stint in this position has cultivated an incredibly strong dislike for the harloting of unique (yes I am aware harloting is not a real word, but a verb form of harlot needs to be made).
We all think we are unique, and we are, but only a small awesome few are truly unique when it comes to style. Which leads me to Exactitudes, a fascinating anthropological study spanning a decade (and still ongoing) of people's styles from around the world. The two Rotterdam artists responsible for this project have provided an almost scientific record of how people distinguish themselves by assuming a group identity.
From what I understand the process goes like this: they get to a city, hang out for a few days (usually at a McDonald's) to observe the styles, and then start inviting people to be photographed. If they are in their hometown, they'll bring them back to their studio, if not, they set up a mini studio on the street. Models are not told how to pose, although they are shown a photo of the first model.
The combination of identical frameworks, similar poses, and strict dress codes makes for a complete eruption of how we see ourselves and others.
Ultimately, you belong to the group who accepts you. So which Exactitude are you?
