In one’s own skin – Body check and body landscape
The confrontation with the body plays a big role in the adolescence. Young people notice changes in the body that occur within a short period of time as it goes through constant development and the process of transition into adulthood. At the same time they realize that their body also serves to shape their outward appearance, which for its part is connected with social standards.
The staging of the body therefore plays a significant role in a great number of the works submitted. The photographers usually explore their motif from an artistic viewpoint, in this way taking account of the aesthetic experience offered by the body.
The photographs confront the image of the body in many different ways, often with humour or sometimes from the erotic angle. Since the 1980s, however, we often find – almost the opposite side of the matter – the perception of alleged shortcomings in the outer appearance. Some pictures show a dramatic result in their perception of the body: anorexia, for example, which affects young girls in particular. These photos are conceptual works that illustrate drastically, but without voyeurism, the gap between one’s perception of oneself and that of outside observers.
The photographers explore the complex interplay between body and soul, which can easily become unbalanced, particularly with young people.
