You’ll Never See Me Again
You'll Never See Me Again is a performative photography series lasting until American Apparel (AA) closed it’s retail doors. Photographed between March - April 2017 are former consumers and employees in attendance for a "funeral." Each model defines themselves by their visually outward identities in the brand’s clothing against a detailed, cacophonous backdrop. The series invites audiences to explore death in identity through attending a transcendental funeral. Zachary's editing, directing, styling, and shooting process highlights the contemplativeness and uncertainty that each model faces in reaction to job loss and store closures. Accompanied scanned images further exhume remnants of the U.S. company.
There are heaping amounts of self-reflection in this work as expanded on by each model’s intent on contribution and collaboration for these pieces (meaning each styling choice was comprised of the model's own AA closet). There is the sense of closure and fulfillment to get dressed up in AA “one last time” as a process in performative death.
A selection from the series was on view at the Czong Institute for Contemporary Art (CICA) in South Korea from January 26 - February 11, 2018
YNSMA Models: Ryne Norton (Sinking Yacht), Julie Xu (Bubblegum Dream), Luis Mejico (Milk Maid in the USA), Allessandra Climo (Death in Menthe), Zachary Jesse (Eulogize)
