WANNABE

WANNABE

CREDITS

GUP Author

GUP TEAM

Title

Wannabe

Publisher

lafabrica.com

Format

Softcover / 64 pages / 190 x 280 mm

Price

€36.54

Spanish photographer Elisa González Miralles (b. 1978) makes a commentary on the echo-chamber of beauty ideals in her book Wannabe. She was originally inspired by the idea of love dolls created for purposes of sex and companionship, essentially standing in as surrogates for real human contact. These silicone dolls are designed to be hyper-realistic imitations, though perhaps with idealised features. González Miralles found during her trips to Japan, however, that real women had begun to conform to the image set forth by their false counterparts. This paradox of imitation, with originals seeking to become replicas, calls into question the wisdom of seeking ‘perfection’, as well as its very definition. The artist interchanges photographs of the dolls with real women, as well as images of puffer fish – a poisonous delicacy of Japanese cuisine, which simultaneously allures and threatens.

Wannabe was featured in GUP#53, the Infinity issue. The book is available from La Fabrica, and the series is on exhibit at PHotoESPAÑA from May 31 – August 27, 2017.