Spellbound: A Reverse Fairytale
The head cover is an interesting collision of narratives. It pertains to Cinderella's myth, which is familiar enough-a woman finds recognition after obscurity and oppression. The covered face, meanwhile, is a popular reference to Filipino spies of the Japanese during the World War II, whose faces and heads were hidden under a bag while pointing at and betraying Filipino guerilla fighters.
The plastic bag with the word CINDERELLA covering the woman's head protects her identity while revealing her story. But there's a twist. The magnificent carriage is now a pumpkin on wheels and the cheery cartoons have morphed into ominous creatures. Without the gowns and the shoes, she emerges as a nubile nude. It's past midnight and this Cinderella's time is just starting.
Quite the contrary, this woman is not spellbound, nor unseeing. She knows all too well that it is not her adornments but the skin underneath that will sell and help her survive. By analogy, her name insinuates one who has been unrecognized. Now, she is seen. Her flesh looks cool with its monochromatic hues yet the small bulge under her hands on the hips show a delicate voluptuous softness. The caricatures hover over her bare body, barely concealing her. In fact, they call attention to her, as her fingers do. Instead of pointing at someone else, they dig into her skin. She incriminates herself as both the rebel and traitor, but her stance is confident. Cinderella, naked, spell unbound, knows only she can save herself.
by Adjani Arumpac