ABSTRACT
Annette photographically depicts five “Zombie brides” in a park during a zombie walk. 1 Her image of people collaboratively enacting undead roles is posted on the Flickr photo-sharing site where such labels as “zombie” and “zombie bride” are commonly deployed. The depicted brides function as a series of copies, doubles, and mirrored couples rather than establishing the uniqueness of their garb or wedding. The two zombie brides on the left are portrayed from behind and function as white forms, with their bodies swathed from head-to-toe in tulle and lace. There are other gendered subjects in the image but the brides’ spread skirts establish a homosocial and queer space. Another two zombie brides face each other with one bride reaching up to hail and touch the other. Her gestural call to her companion is a mirroring action. The other bride raises her arm and the two are similarly dressed in white wedding dresses. Such images pose women as linked and coupled because they are physically engaged and dressed to be married. Behind this bridal couple, an almost effaced bride, who also appears to be hailed by one of the brides on the left, suggests that this mirroring, same-sex coupling, and viral replication will continue. Annette foregrounds the importance and likelihood of such identifications by indicating that “Zombie brides” are “Very popular” and everyone is interested in them.
