Culture / Art Republik

Both Sides Of by Alex John Beck

Photographer reveals what people would look like if both halves of their face were identical

Jun 08, 2014 | By Staff Writer

New York City based photographer Alex John Beck tests the age-old theory of “the golden ratio” and that symmetrical faces are the most attractive with his latest photography series. Titled Both Sides Of, Beck constructs a pair of perfectly symmetrical portraits taken from a single visage; one made from the model’s lefthand side and it’s mirror reflection and the other from the right half. Despite possessing what is deemed to be “perfection”, these images actually appear queer and unnatural. The two portraits show that of two completely different looking people and the viewer has difficulty trying to envision the human face from the edited portraits. If no face can be entirely symmetrical, then do we contain within our features two distinct selves, warring with one another for recognition? Overall, this series questions the role of each facial feature in giving character to our face as well as the very definition of physical perfection. 

Alex John Beck 09

Alex John Beck 07

Alex John Beck 06

Alex John Beck 04

Alex John Beck 10

Alex John Beck 03

Alex John Beck 01

Alex John Beck 08

Alex John Beck 02

Alex John Beck 05 1

 

Learn more about the photographer here 

Images courtesy of Alex John Beck via featureshoot 


 
Back to top