Fine Art student challenges our idea of perfect beauty

A final year Fine Art student has created a challenging series of photographs of disfigurement using herself as the subject.

Carla Stevens, 21, from Horley in Surrey, used photo manipulation software to produce a unique collection of images for her final Degree Show project. The purpose behind her work was to tackle the media’s unrealistic perception of the female figure - generally being tall, thin, blond and busty, much like a stereotypical Barbie Doll.

Carla’s inspiration for the images came after seeing the montages of German artist Hannah Hoch and then using this technique to create disfigured faces of herself with the help of Photoshop software.

Carla said:

I have always been interested in stereotyping and how subconsciously we judge strangers on the streets due to their appearances without even knowing them.

My art work is quite disturbing and is not very commercially appealing; instead I created such work to shock the audience. This way you are more likely to remember my work and I want to make people aware of the growing issue of conforming to the media’s ideal figure.

Carla’s images will be on show in the art studio space in Graham Sutherland building, Gosford Street, Coventry. Entry is free and open to public from 1st June 2012.

For further information and images, please contact Sarah-Jane Dean, Communications Assistant, Coventry University, on +44 (0)24 7688 8245 or email sarah-jane.dean@coventry.ac.uk.