An Alternative Perception of Beauty: BODY_mass ( Dodho, July 2022)
“Sometimes ones’ works emerges from the abundance, other times you create within restrictions. BODY_mass, the series about bodybuilding, and an alternative perception of beauty, so fittingly came as latter. Unable to travel to pursue my other projects, and having spare time on my hands while being in my hometown, I reached out to a family friend who has become a fitness coach and was competing in the bodybuilding arena. Seeing all the blood, sweat, and tears, that would go into archiving the shape required to participate in the competitions, and the glittery glamour of bodybuilding ceremonies in her instagram updates, I instantly saw an opportunity for a documentary project. I was drawn to the juxtaposition of the backstage exhaustion and the onstage smiles of the athletes. I felt like in many ways I was cutting to the very core of the beauty debate. What is beauty? What is acceptable and non-acceptable? How much are you willing to give up and how fare are you willing to go? The bodybuilding series was drawn by a personal interest and has unintentionally become a conversation starter.”
