The Body in Abject Photography

Jeffrey Silverthorne - Morgue - Woman who died in her sleep 1972

When asked what influenced him to start shooting in the morgues Jeffrey Silverthorne responded -

"It was Vietnam time. People were being killed on the television screen as I ate supper. I had to do something and there was a general feeling of people not looking enough. I grew up safe in Conneticut> I thought the morgue was unsafe but it wasn't. Physically it was the safest place I could go> The streets were volitile. Psychologically, the morgue was transfomative, years later. Death is for the living, the dead are gone. Paying attention is the key to being alive.

British Photography Journal 24/31 / 12/08

Oxana Mazura digitally manipulated images of the body show a range of emotions and internal states of mind. Some use grotesque cuts and markings on the models back artistically shot in back and white in order to portray these feelings and emotions.

Antony Crossfield - Foreign Bodies

Antony Crossfield uses photographic compositions which digitally combne multiple images of individual male bodies into multilimbed hybrids. Disturbing and distorted yet reconisable and human. The subjects look as if they are struggling like conjoined twins of control of the merged body. This collection explores masculine streotypes of physical strength and control, made vulnerable through decay, fleshyness and furthered through lack of clothing.

Larry Dunstan

This photogrphers work is inspired by the fact that everyone in life is affected by health issues at some point. His unsettling images of distorted bodies use a range of techniques. Prosthetics, digital manipulation and straight portraiture. He is influenced by Joel Peter-Witkin and artist Otto Dix and his horrific injury paintings of WWI