ARU BA Photography | Emma Kingsley
"My project is about environment and fashion, and how the fashion industry is becoming more sustainable during the inevitable rise in climate change. The clothing he wears in this image is derived from barkcloth, which is made from the bark of threes that gets peeled off and beaten down using a wooden mallet to create a thin cloth. This is a sustainable method of clothing as it is using natural materials and is organic, whilst promoting eco-friendly fashion.
F.H. Dufty studio portrait of 'Sukuisa, Mbau', circa 1876. Bau, Levuka, Fiji. MAA P.100087.VH
This portrait of Sukuisa Mbau is a simple yet powerful image. He is wearing the sash of a Chief and a Christian warrior dress, suggesting he is a powerful figure in his community. Mbau's stance in the image conveys strength and authority, as he sits with his legs akimbo and his muscles proudly displayed."
Final image
"This image I took in response to my MAA image conveys similar emotions of power and authority. I created this through the stance of the model and the frame of the image, similarly to the way F.H. Dufty did in their portrait of Sukuisa Mbau.
The clothing that my model is wearing in my response is all 100% organic cotton, meaning it is mostly sustainable."
Power in Sustainability
Cambridge, United Kingdom, 21 March 2022
Photograph of Kai Hocknell by Emma Kingsley