CONTORTIONIST

I'm reading The Beauty Myth at the moment. I know, I know, should have crossed this off the list back at university, extremist instincts in tow, but no matter. I'm still deep within Virgina Wolf's argument about contemporary gender equality, but one consistent thread thus far is the disparity between how media outlets represent 'normal' body image and the reality. It's an old adage but one that is insidious and potentially dangerous. When an artist attempts to deal with issues such as these, particularly in the photographic medium, it's commendable. Photographer Charlie Engman has done this through a series titled Domestic Diorama. It's abstact, no doubt, but presents a realistic portrayal of the human form, flaws and all, in banal, domestic situations. And while it's unlikely one would find themselves intertwined with another on a cold wooden floor beside a filing cabinet, it's reassuring to know that other people have exceptionally pale skin, dorky wrists, or whatever physicality one seems vexed by, alone. Engman has lent the likes of i-D, Dazed and Confused and Urban Outfitters his gritty, youth-oriented schtick. Check it out:

This photographic series reminded me of a beautiful Karen Inderbitzen-Waller series I saw online recently (although I think it's an older body of work).