Let's start at the very beginning; what is cosplay?
Wikipedia says: Cosplay (Japanese: コスプレ, kosupure) is a form of performance art in which participants use costumes and accessories to portray a particular character or idea. In the broader sense, cosplay refers to all costumed role-playing outside of the stage, regardless of the cultural context.
So, dressing up yourself, in a (homemade ) costume.
I myself take part in cosplay. I was already spotted as Dobby, Poison Ivy, Hairy nephew It, Catwoman, and Edward Scissorhands.
Very different characters, some with depth, others mainly for practical crafting reasons.
Cosplay is a hobby that has evolved over the years. Once I was the exception and weirdo, but now I'm part of a pretty big cosplay gang.
But why does it become more popular over the years, why is dressing up so much fun?
If you dress up and are completely or half anonymous, you just become more daring.
It's not so much the hiding of yourself that does the trick, but the fact that with a costume you can highlight things about yourself. You can show who you want to look like more, how you want to see yourself more, but you can also show how you really feel.
That last thing was what I did at the spring edition of FACTS 2022. Cosplaying Edward Scis
sorhands was homecoming for me. Despite the permanent sad look that the make-up gave me, I felt in a high state of happiness. Edward is a representation for me: sometimes awkward, usually disarming, a bit naive, but always with good intentions, in the end, I almost felt more like myself wearing the costume than not.
Another pro to cosplaying: you are part of a group! It's just so obvious what you like, and like-minded people recognise each other more easily.
With this series of photos, I wanted to capture the person underneath the cosplay. By stripping the photo of color, the bustle of the costume fades away and the individual comes into focus. / stands out more. In this way, if you look at the serie, you can clearly see that cosplay crosses generations and really brings everyone together.
I can only recommend everyone to visit this wonderful community at one of the many conventions.
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