Rebecca Horn: Finger Gloves 1972 (Image from the V&A website)

My research for irrational fears and phobias has led me on to looking at unusual garments and accessories with meanings. I am particularly interested in the idea of sharp objects and itchy materials to represent the feeling of fear throughout my project. This image of the ‘Finger Gloves’ by Horn caught my eye. From looking at the art installation and images of the gloves they make me feel slightly on edge because of the unusualness of them and the fact that they seem to serve no purpose. Horn quotes; “The finger gloves are made from such a light material, that I can move my fingers without effort. I feel, touch, grasp with them, yet keep a certain distance from the objects that I touch. The lever action of the lengthened fingers intensifies the sense of touch in the hand. I feel myself touching, see myself grasping, and control the distance between myself and the objects.
(Quoted in Haenlein 1997, p.58.)” I think this idea of ‘intensifying senses’ and ‘distance between myself and objects’ is really interesting and the idea of using senses in a different form has inspired me to use this idea of ‘touch’ in my own photography.