Geisha

I am amazed by the art and beauty of the geisha and maiko of Japan. From the make-up to the way they dress has always fascinated me. I got to see these women and they are so beautiful in their unique ways.
I wonder about the identity and the sense of self. They virtually hide behind the make-up. The nape of the back of the neck is considered very sensual and the only flesh that is really exposed in their world.
So many women in so many cultures hide their real identity through their make-up and clothing. Why is that?
I work with the antique pieces of their clothes..reworking, re-fashioning, making art out of it all,trying to bring a sense of purpose and dignity to what they had in their past.
I hold the pieces in my hands and think to myself "where has this cloth been, what young girl was wearing this, did she dance to music at an emperors court, or did she suffer at the hands of someone wearing this cloth."
I always pay a sense of honor to the cloth and its original story.