Precious

Freud writes about the shock that occurs on the piercing of the protective shield of the body, here the skin becomes a sort of armour against the fear of fragmentation or dissolution of identity; giving an illusion of invulnerability. I am intrigued by the feelings of repulsion provoked by a break in the continuity of the acceptable surface of ourselves. Here, images of cosmetic surgery have been manipulated in Photoshop to present a seductive contradiction to the sensations of fragmentation and repulsion often experienced at the sight of exposed flesh. The interior of the body is represented as a decorative surface, invested with an aesthetic normally reserved for the exterior. The social body, site of expression of wealth, status & desirability is literally internalised. Showing only a fragment of the opened body, the images are both intimate and impersonal.

Seven digitally manipulated photographs as C-type prints each 50 x 60cm. Unframed, mounted on Foamex. Made during a residency at Oxford Brookes University.