Facial Hair is a personal photographic exploration in which I use selective aspects of my body to challenge accepted notions of beauty. My face is obliterated through a disquieting transformation into animal-like visages. The hair and cigarettes, grease stained face blotters and tongues symbolize various self-representations. The mirrored images finally, attempt to acquiesce to our cultural imposition of a symmetrically formal face. The ornamental symmetry is what makes them initially easy to look at. Their intent, however, is to humorously and frightfully mock the politics of conventional human aesthetics most often required of woman.
Julie A. McConnell
1999