Discovering the hidden beauty of the human body through a photographic study of visual similarities between nature and the human body

Abstract

One of the reasons for creating a work of art may be to communicate a message, the meaning of which may otherwise go unnoticed. The intention of this project was to uncover a hidden beauty within the ordinary. This research presents a different way of perceiving the beauty of the human body by observing its flaws, mortality and at times its fragile being. The intended message was communicated through photographs and objects collected while working with the chosen methodology of practice-based research. This was divided into four phases: observation, collection, experimentation and documentation. During the observation stage, the search was limited to objects from the ecological environment. The human body was another subject of interest, mainly focusing on specific details or features which were decontextualised. During the experimentation phase light was used to reveal hidden characteristics within the items of flora and to accentuate features of the human body. These discoveries were documented, which led to a library of images that form part of the final body of work. Since the objects collected were preserved prior to being photographed they can be presented alongside the photographic documentation, legitimising the images. The aforementioned qualities are found to be in nature. Therefore, by highlighting our connection to nature through the visual similarities as well as through research into other areas of knowledge, imperfection, mortality and fragility are presented as natural and thus normal. The findings have opened up a broad area of possibilities for further research and the potential for collaboration across various disciplines which supports the idea that everything is interconnected.