CHUBBY VOGUE DIVAS EXHIBITION OPENING

Chubby Vogue Divas: A Critique of the Female Body

A photographic body of work by Charmain Carrol.

Chubby Vogue Divas exhibition is by a Market Photo Workshop graduate Charmain Carrol, (Photographer) which is a series of 21 photos of big black women who get to feel good about themselves in front of the camera.

Chubby Vogue Divas were photographed from deferent parts of the South Africa, namely Alexandra,  Johannesburg, Secunda, Soweton Gauteng and Durban, Hermmersdale, Kwamashu, uMlazi, Port Shepstone, Eskhawini in KwaZulu-Natal.

Part of the reason to launch Chubby Vogue Divas was due to Charmain Carrol’s experience growing up seeing only skinny women on television, magazines and billboards.

This is a project that is very close to the artist since she also struggled with her weight from a young age. As much as she loved magazines growing up and wanted to be a TV presenter, her dreams were shattered as she was constantly told she was FAT and she could not be on TV, advertorial magazines proved just that by featuring skinny models/women only.

“I could not understand why I only saw these women on TV, magazines and billboards, in my everyday life women where fuller figured in comparison. Growing up on the chubby side I felt very self-conscious and always questioned why I never saw women that looked like me in Billboards and magazines” explains the artist, Charmain Carrol.

“I had to learn how to appreciate that women come in different shapes and sizes but that does not mean one shape or size is better than the other. I am passionate about building the self-esteem and confidence of bigger or fuller women” further explains Carrol.

With Chubby Vogue Divas project she wanted to create a platform for fuller/chubby women to be celebrated. To feel like a Diva for a day, or more than just a day, where they get to feel like super models, wear makeup try on clothes that make them feel good.

The platform would also serve as place where the models can share their stories and also inspire other Chubby Vogue Divas.

Charmain Carrol is a firm believer that all women deserve an equal opportunity regardless of their skin colour, backgrounds or their weight.

“Women come from diverse backgrounds; they all have different stories to tell. The Chubby Vogue Divas are encouraged to share honest stories about themselves, weight and bullying.  I felt it was important that I include the bullying element as very often fuller or chubby women get taunted and ridiculed because of how they look. This also gives the chubby Vogue Divas an opportunity to step away from victim mode but to own their fuller figures” concludes Carrol.

CHUBBY VOGUE DIVAS by CHARMAIN CARROL exhibition opens on the 6^th of August 2015 at Constitution Hill and closes on the 16^th of August 2015. For more information please contact:

Tell: 011 318 3100, E-mail: info@constitutionhill.org.za, Twitter & Instagram: @VisitConhill, Facebook: Constitution Hill, Website: www.constitutionhill.org.za

Prepared and distributed by Yaya Mavundla on behalf of Charmain Carrol & Constitution Hill.

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