Kinshasa, 2015, Marechal Mobutu
We all take on a second skin. Often we build a public image trough this second skin. An image that allows us to find ourselves beautiful, sexy or wild. That image can also illustrate our power over ourselves or others.My project is inspired by the history and multi-culturalism of leopard as a global symbol. In Central and Austral Africa, leopard fur has been a traditional representation of tribal power reserved for witch doctors, chiefs, and later, heads of state such as Mobutu Sese Seko, dictator of Congo Kinshasa for 36 years. The leopard hat worn by Mobutu symbolises the victory of a man over his enemies. In South Africa, leopard fur has been an emblem of the Zulus and Xhosas power for centuries. Mandela himself wore the traditional clothing after being released from Robben Island. From Central Africa to Paris, it was Dior who first imposed the leopard pattern in 1947 on the runways of Europe and America. Since many decades now the leopard print has become a symbol of sensuality and
