About This Project

Annie Claflin

Minor Imperfections

My lens-based series, “Minor Imperfections”, reveals the hidden experience of my mental illness. This artwork indicates one of my primary symptoms – body dysmorphia, the obsession with perceived physical flaws. A distorted perception of my appearance disrupts my ability to integrate with the world around me. To illustrate my struggle, I utilize several image-altering techniques, reuse imagery, and repurpose finished works. I often use familiar objects in unique, distressed collages on board which are presented alongside archival pigment prints of emulsion manipulations and former iterations of the collages. The face is our primary physical identifier, often considered the most reflective of our internal selves. When I shatter my likeness into multiple pieces with my camera and collage it back together, submerge, sand down, and adorn imagery with medication, it signifies my attempt to reassemble my identity after a psychological breakdown. I strive for perfection, yet, after this reconstructive surgery, the parts fail to reunify. In both my artwork and psyche, I scrutinize my body and mind. I continuously break, then gather and reassemble pieces of myself. My search for wholeness is an ongoing component of my creative practice. I invite the viewer into my predicament and healing process to cultivate empathy, demystify and destigmatize mental health challenges.

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