Today, consumerism feels inescapable. Tomorrow promises more of the same, and the future dims as we feed into a system with no hopeful solutions. At the same time, big corporations profit from the manipulation and commodification of bodies – particularly women’s bodies – while body autonomy and rights seem to be regressing.
Inspired by artists like Karin Mack and Alina Szapocznikow, my work examines the intersection of people and things. If the self is reduced to a static, lifeless ideal, stripped of authenticity and expression, does it become more or less valuable, and for whom? Are we no more than products on a shelf, inching toward an expiry date?
In exploring how society conditions us to view women as commodities and how we internalize these harmful narratives, I ask: What role does consumer culture play in shaping identity, and what, if anything, can we reclaim?
CHLOË X. SHIA explores beauty, identity, and representation through digital and analogue photography, with a focus on portrait, product, and street photography. Drawing from her own experiences and cultural background, she approaches and interprets these themes from different angles, creating work that resonates with diverse audiences.