By Miguel Vallinas
Following the series ‘skins’ and ‘second skins’, Miguel Vallinas continues to reflect on identity, existence and personal choice through his latest collection called ‘roots’.
The photographs show fashionably dressed figures bearing ‘faces’ of seasonal plants and floral bouquets instead of human heads. while the body represents the stem and the head suggests the flora, the unseen roots are linked to the earth — the beginning and end of life. the botanical species each source their identity through the clothing they choose — colorful wildflowers wear a flowing embroidered dress; a bundle of straw dons a flannel button down shirt; a bouquet of sunflowers sport a slim sundress.
The images source human nature for ‘What we believe we are, what others think we are, what we really are and what we would like to be,’ Vallinas explains. ”Root’ reflects on the questions surrounding human choices to confront the real self, the self that could be myself, and the self that is definitely myself.’