Christel Pilkær Thomsen

Face Off:

Face Off is a series of 9 pictures based on archival photos of female mechanics at The Royal British Airforce during World War II. This project was the starting point of the project Tracing the Aftermath.

The project Face Off examines the physical and psychological injuries that war leaves behind on those involved in it, amongst these one might mention the physical wounds which many Royal Airforce pilots received during battles in the air. The project led to working with the wound itself and the psychological consequences which a wound or trauma leaves behind.

The female mechanics at The Royal British Airforce during World War II hardly ever received any physical wounds as they were not in direct confrontation with the enemy, but the aftermath of war and the horrors of war were bound to have had a great effect on these women all the same. This formed the starting point for an exploration of outward and inward effects, that which the human eye sees and that which the eye does not see.

Crystals and stones are placed on archival photographs in order to symbolize the psychological wounds and processes of healing which are not visible to the eye, but which take place behind the façade.