WAITING ROOM

Waiting Room is a body of work that has evolved over a series of staged encounters across Poland. From big cities to remote province.

These portraits of prepubescent models are carefully staged within the intimate space of their bedrooms, surrounded by sentimental objects reflecting their teenage or even childish reality.

It is in the small details that the clues stare back at us - teddy bears, dolls, fashion posters.

The subjects are purposely styled in the latest collections of Poland’s best designers so they resemble models they dream to become, thrown into the limelight of fashion.

Within this project, the visual commentary shows that the perceptions created through fashion, an undeniably narcissistic industry defining aspirations for consumers through its choice of aesthetics and constructed in the form of pre-adolescent models, is socially flawed.

That subject matter is very personal as I myself began modeling at the age of 15. Being now in my 30s and long retired from modeling I am still experiencing some « side effects » of such an early start in the industry.

The models photographed for “Waiting Room” are between 12-17 years old. They all have contract signed with professional adult model agencies. Yet some of them need to wait until they turn 16 till they will be regally allowed to work in fashion main capitals. Some of them would travel to Asia where laws are different.

Despite the fact that the issue had been raised I felt it is my obligation to tell the story of the ones who’s voice is often unheard.

In recent years we can see some positive changes in the industry but there must be special measures taken to protect somebody as young as 12 who is about to leave the safety of their home and face adult world.

Being signed by a professional model agency gives a false validation of your worth.

If one builds their self esteem on ground so unstable it might be very short till they will need to reinvent themselves within the society.

In few years I plan to visit all of them again and together confront the time that passed, the dreams and reality.