ARTIST STATEMENT
Inspired by the opulent silhouettes of Baroque-era Parisian fascinators, I embarked on creating a headpiece that would serve as both artistic expression and personal exploration. My research into the historical and hierarchical significance of fascinators revealed their exclusive association with women throughout history until their revival in the 1960s and 70s. This gender specificity sparked my curiosity about the intersection of headwear and gender identity through my non-binary perspective.
“They’re Fascinating” emerged as a deeply personal meditation on my complex relationship with femininity and womanhood. Having been raised and perceived as a woman for most of my life has fundamentally shaped my identity, creating an imprint regardless of my desires or choices. This tension between external perception and internal experience finds physical form in the piece. Viewed from above, the fascinator reveals an unmistakably vaginal shape with gentle, billowing curves and alternating concave and convex ridges along its edges. The white veiling lace strategically positioned over the wearer’s face creates an intricate shadow pattern reminiscent of a mask—a visual metaphor for the layers of identity we navigate and the personas we adopt or shed.
The creation process was intensely intimate. Working with parasisal, a delicate material requiring careful handling, I hand-sewed the entire piece. Each tiny, nearly invisible stitch echoes the painstaking journey of self-discovery. The meticulous attention to hidden details mirrors my own experience of seeking authentic personal identity—a process often invisible to others yet profoundly transformative to the self.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
I’m Josie Ross….a native Angeleno now based in Chicago. I’ve grown up in the entertainment industry and am a passionate creative with a skilled eye for design. What I create is where I believe that all the things I love come to merge. The variety of my creative endeavors helps to inspire this flow and unity in my work. I love to experiment as seen through wide range of expressions in a variety of mediums. Recently, I have been enjoying exploring other materials such as leather and fur which has been exciting. My practice typically explores themes of identity and gender however, as of late I have been having fun exploring new materials and seeing what I am inspired to create and making intuitively.
© Josie Ross