The face is one of the most analyzed, stereotyped, idolized and judged aspects of the human body. From the eyebrows to the chin, people across the globe expect a certain arrangement of aesthetically pleasing features, symmetrically positioned if possible. Even the slightest deviation from the typical appearance can throw the viewer into a tailspin of unfamiliarity.
Case in point: South African artist Anelia Loubser's series "Alienation."
"'Alienation' is a collection of portraits that challenges the viewer by using creative tactics based on the concept, 'If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change,' [by Wayne Dyer]," Loubser writes in a statement supporting the work.
The series turns a simple, monochromatic image of a male or female visage into what appears to be a portrait of an alien being. It doesn't take too long to realize, however, that the photographs are simply reversed pictures of the human face, the nose and mouth obscured, while the wrinkles of the forehead take center stage. Despite the obvious manipulation, Loubser's eyes take the viewer in, directing him or her to decipher a new kind of beauty within.
"Be introduced to the alienated being inside us all," the Cape Town-based artist dares the viewer. "Disconcerting beauty emerges."
Behold: