The rhetoric of the pose
“The rhetoric of the pose is both visual and performative. Although it is activated on an instinctual level–as one scans another's pose for signs of aggression, fear, authority or compatibility–it can also be indicative of a particular time, class or culture. Studied closely, a pose reveals confidence or insecurity, self-awareness or self-doubt, desire, joy or pain. Posing is a skill aided by visual technology. Young children begin to hone this skill as parents record images for family photo albums and video projects. We look to these documents for clues about our identities and we compare our captured images to those of our parents, celebrities and other role models. By mimicking those we want to align our selves with, we train our bodies to inhabit certain poses. We try them on like costumes until consciously or otherwise we find the ones that fit.”—Catalog Essay: "Identifiable Gestures" By Andrea Cote and Joelle Jensen (2007)