Religious undertones

This summer there has been an interesting fashion phenomenon: young men wearing rosaries. They decorate their proud chests with them or the prayer beads are hanging out from their pockets. The style of black rap-artists, Beckham and Madonna has finally reached Tampere! I got intrigued by the phenomenon and decided to dwell deeper; it seems to be surrounded by mixed messages, controversy and even conspiracy theories. There are groups that want to ban rosary's usage as a fashion statement. Some think the phenomenon tells the society is getting more spiritual, for some this is an incredibly deep offence. Well, it's what you project into it isn't it?

                   telegraph.co.uk




                                                                                             Girbaud

 This Fall's fashion also seems to draw from the religious imagery, yet again, just to mention Girbaud and Jean Paul Gaultier.

                                                         Gaultier

Anyway, there was a rosary hanging on my mum's wall, just beside a collection of religious icons she has collected over the years. Suddenly it all seemed very very trendy to me. The flea market I often use is based on Christian values thus the collection of religious items is considerable. I got carried away to buy and display a collection of religious items which I photographed outside an abandoned house in a forest.

The big image with Jesus-child has an 'other-worldly aura' in it and it took me back to my very early childhood and into my great-grandmother's small, dark room. In my mind this image connects to those images of an guardian angel protecting children crossing over a precarious-looking bridge. Oh how soothing those still are!

 

Suddenly the time stopped and I felt surrounded by silence, sacredness and peace. There in the forest I was able to feel again the power of a 'virtuous object' and understood how something as simple as a 'holy image' can affect our daily lives.

Maybe, what ever we think of rosaries as fashion statements, they have an effect on the user that is more powerful than we ever can imagine. Who knows.