Book Review: Kids of Cosplay by Thurstan Redding
@Thurstan Redding, Ursula (The Little Mermaid) Hospital receptionist. Kids of Cosplay © Thurstan Redding, courtsey of the artist and Thames & Hudson press
Written by Max Wiener
Photo Edited by Billy Chen
Copy Edited by Kee’nan Haggen
It’s a common trope we all put on a different face when we leave our homes. The outside world - and the people that dwell among it - see a version of yourself that’s seemingly different from the one that exists amongst loneliness. In his new book Kids of Cosplay, photographer Thurstan Redding begs us to ask: is this not playing dress-up on a much more subdued level? Are we not cosplaying as the individual society wants us to act as? Why can’t we be the people we want ourselves to be? Few possess the confidence, he suggests, but perhaps the ones that have it the most are what society deems the outliers: cosplayers.
@Thurstan Redding, Harley Quinn Medicine and health publishing worker. Kids of Cosplay © Thurstan Redding, courtsey of the artist and Thames & Hudson press
Kids of Cosplay is a profoundly intimate look at one of the world’s foremost pseudo-societies in a way that few outsiders have ever experienced. Redding slowly coaxed us into his beautiful world, bringing about the personal experience before introducing us to his subjects. To him, we’re like shy kittens hiding underneath a massive figurative bed; he wants to introduce us as delicately as possible. But he does so not for us but for them. The world, he suggests, has seemingly rejected cosplayers and their practices as outlandish displays of character. This write-off has harmed the community in ways that outsiders would never understand.
@Thurstan Redding, Resistance Pilot (Star Wars) Retail worker. Kids of Cosplay © Thurstan Redding, courtsey of the artist and Thames & Hudson press
Redding has a style of photography that perfectly accompanies his argument, presenting his subjects, friends even, as ordinary folk with cool and quirky personality traits. He explains that many cosplay conventions can be overwhelming displays of grandeur, so he supersedes normalcy by separating them from each other. By doing so, he gives each cosplayer their moment; he makes them feel they’re the only person dressed up as their respective hero. “Spider-Man, energy industry worker” perfectly encapsulates Redding’s mission, down to the title. The photo, showing the most average of kitchens with intricately intimate lighting, shows an everyman version of the comic book character, Spider-Man, one of the world’s most renowned heroes. There’s no web-slinging or crime-fighting: just a fan paying homage to his hero. Redding makes an obvious choice here, showing Spidey in a natural habitat, and it’s highlighted throughout his book. No bystanders are staring at him or making silent judgments. The sense of comfort in this photo makes you feel warm and so dense that you can cut it with a knife.
@Thurstan Redding, Spider-Man, Energy industry worker. Kids of Cosplay © Thurstan Redding, courtsey of the artist and Thames & Hudson press
One thing Redding wanted to showcase throughout Kids in Cosplay is the sense of community within cosplayers. These are people just like us, and like many of us, they have something they’re incredibly passionate about. Whether it be people dressing as the same hero or cosplayers as a whole, there is a beautiful feeling of nurturing and support they each have for each other; it even crosses over strict Marvel and DC boundaries. Redding’s photos in his diary highlight this sense of individuality beautifully and emotionally. He describes the personal details of each cosplayer - separating them from their costume - to bring us closer to the subject: a Teen Titans Raven cosplayer who is also a teacher and one who made her impressive wig entirely by hand. He pulls back the curtain on their process and familiarizes us with these people as if they were family members. Sublimely, this clears the clouds of misinformation on cosplayers and brings feelings of adoration and admiration instead of judgment. Through Redding’s approach, we can see this community in a way hitherto unthought of. Kids of Cosplay brings out the uniqueness in all of us and inspires us to be our authentic selves more than ever.
@Thurstan Redding, Batmen, Lighting technicians. Kids of Cosplay © Thurstan Redding, courtsey of the artist and Thames & Hudson press
@Thurstan Redding, C-3POs (Star Wars). Kids of Cosplay © Thurstan Redding, courtsey of the artist and Thames & Hudson press
