Poppy Tester

“STAGED” is a short photobook exploring the female form in performance, offering a nuanced look at the female perspective in performance artistry. I set out to create a project that peers behind the curtain—one that celebrates and seeks to understand women in their raw, natural essence, beyond the metaphorical and literal façades we construct through fashion and makeup. Inspired by the era of showgirls and burlesque, I use these performers as metaphors for the ways we disguise ourselves in glamour and gems. But beneath the surface lies something deeper: the scars, the mistakes, the subtle details we often hide. This project was born from a desire to explore the delicate boundary between authentic self-expression and conforming to the male gaze, and how, as women, we can begin to understand this tension in order to better understand ourselves.