Chasing Perfection

Please say a warm hello to first-time contributor Toby Upson, an 18-year-old man from England. Last year, Toby was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. His condition was so severe that at one point he was rushed to a hospital where he was given two days to live. Luckily, his body managed to stabilize and he eventually was transferred to a hospital that specialized in mental health. It was there that he began using art as a distraction and coping tool.

About this photo: “I’m currently working on a series of images that relate to ‘identity and perfection.’ These photo-grams are from that series. They are original sewn drawings of the ‘perfect’ male body, but they work so much better as photo-grams. They show the pain and disorder of what perfection can be. I find them ghostly, disfigured, and also painful. I find the images strong and I hope that they engage the viewer, make them think, and make them challenge their view of male perfection and what it means to be perfect.”

Find more from Toby at his blog.

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