Head On Exposure Awards 2024

'Second Skin' by Ashley Moog Bowlsbey looks to confront the 'façade' of our bodies, challenging society's obsession with beauty and skin

"Second Skin takes away access to the face and body to show the haunting reality of our emphasis on one’s outer shell. The feminine beauty ideal is a socially constructed belief that a woman’s appearance is her most important quality, which influences many to strive to achieve visual perfection. Cosmetics can become a protective device, temporarily covering flaws, but cannot cure a dysmorphic perception of self. By collecting used makeup remover wipes, placing them back over the figure, and photographing them, these images embody the repetitive beauty ritual of applying makeup in the morning and removing it at night."

This work was a finalist in the Head On Exposure Awards 2024, for more work from the Exposure Awards, visit https://headon.org.au/exhibi.../head-on-exposure-awards-2024

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