The Fairest of Them All

The ‘modern’ history of the Philippines is one defined by colonisation. Beginning with the Spanish in the 1500s, and then America. After the physical presence of Western colonial rule had ended, when the Philippines gained independence in 1946, more subtle forms of neo-colonial oppression remained. Through Eurocentric and Orientalist lenses, the Philippines, as with other colonised lands, now face the aftereffects of Western white supremacy. A modern form of Eurocentric ideals can be found in the beauty standards of the Philippines. Skin lightening is a typical practice and is an attempt to achieve said European standards. Through experimentation, the techniques of photo-manipulation I developed reflect the process and harsh effects of skin whitening. The bleaching and peeling of the image mirror personal experiences of whitening, witnessed growing up. Leaving final images that are distorted and, in a way, unrecognisable.