The Beheaded Queen
Fantasies about French Queen Marie-Antoinette
PROJECT BACKGROUND
The theme of this project is designated as 'Deconstruction Rococo', which is related to a kind of desserts. The central thought of the Rococo period was Carpe diem, in which the royal family and aristocrats over that period lived a luxurious life. Long-term profligacy therefore led to dissatisfaction among the people.
PROJECT CONCEPT
Becoming a queen can be an honour or a sacrifice. Being beheaded can be a punishment or a relief. Marie-Antoinette never had a choice, except for which dresses to wear and what desserts to have for her afternoon tea. I made an upside-down 18th-century dress inspired by the Hanged Man, which stands for sacrifice in the tarot cards. I included in the design of the desserts that Queen Marie brought to France from Austria -– i.e. Gugelhupf and croissants. Finally, I created a beautiful head to express my thoughts about the life of Queen Marie, i.e. death cannot take away her nobility.
