Curator Anne Eder says, "In second place is Rachel Britton’s Dysmorphia 2. In making this choice, I was forced to abandon my own aesthetic preferences in favor of acknowledging a visceral emotional reaction to the content of the image.

I will be honest, this is not typically my aesthetic, and heavy-handed digital manipulations are generally not something I am drawn to, however, the image elicited a strong gut response of horror and repulsion, which given the specifications of the CFE and the subject matter, makes it successful!

It is a challenging photograph, offering a precise and compelling execution of the call for entry, and an externalized rendering of an unseen, internal monster.

It finds its place in the current zeitgeist and among issues in the spotlight; in addressing dysmorphia it speaks to a large number of people, disproportionately women, affected by this socially constructed obstacle to health and happiness that may be described as a monster within."

Rachel Britton says, "Dysmorphia is the preoccupation with an imagined or slight physical defect of one's body that produces stress or behavior inefficiencies (merriam-webster.com, 2018). When people have body dysmorphia, they obsess over their physical flaws for hours a day, engaging in repetitive behaviors such as skin picking, hair pulling, checking in mirrors, and changing clothes excessively (adaa.org, 2018)."

Britton’s Dysmorphia explores the disorder’s constant presence in peoples' lives.

Rachel Britton relies on digital manipulation to communicate personal narratives. Their other work focuses on filling space with light, presentation through fashion, and transforming the face with makeup.


www.rachelbrittonphoto.com

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Home for 'Monsters' including message from Anne Eder:
www.nyphotocurator.com/monsters-anne-eder

First Place: www.nyphotocurator.com/monsters-anne-eder/first-place-amy-becker/1

Second Place: www.cm-sites.icompendium.com/accounts/nyphotocurator.com/monsters-anne-eder/second-place-rachel-britton

Honorable Mentions: www.nyphotocurator.com/monsters-anne-eder/honorable-mentions-angelique-benecio-shine-huang-pato-hebert-sarah-manriquez

Online Exhibition #1: www.nyphotocurator.com/monsters-anne-eder/exhibition-1/1

Online Exhibition #2: www.nyphotocurator.com/monsters-anne-eder/exhibition-2/1

Online Exhibition #3: www.nyphotocurator.com/monsters-anne-eder/exhibition-3/1

Best Series: www.nyphotocurator.com/monsters-anne-eder/best-series-andrew-repcik

Best Abstract: www.nyphotocurator.com/monsters-anne-eder/best-abstract-m-apparition