Human Taxidermy Photography

The Antoine Barbot 'We Are Beautiful' Series is Impossibly Morbid

The 'We Are Beautiful' photo series presents human beings as hunting trophies. Just like a deer or moose, the people's heads have been mounted on walls in a rather morbid manner. Each person has a different expression that appears to imagine what an animal's actual frozen expression would be as well -- that is, if their faces were as easily interpreted. For instance, one person looks surprised while another is sad.

Shot by Antoine Barbot, a 25 year-old French photographer, the We Are Beautiful photo series was created for a six-month internship at Studio Erwin Olaf in Amsterdam. He says, "For the sake of realism, I wanted to work with a real scene that I built from scratch: wall, wallpaper and wooden trophy" while making the models look like "wax dolls."

Morbid Photography
Opportunity for the development of a new genre of photography that explores unconventional and controversial themes such as death and morbidity.
Controversial Art Installations
Opportunity for artists to create disruptive and thought-provoking art installations that challenge traditional norms and start important conversations regarding ethics and moral values.
Exploring Taboo Subjects
Opportunity for photographers and artists to push boundaries and explore taboo subjects that are not usually addressed in mainstream media or art circles.

Who This Affects Most

Art
There is an opportunity for the art industry to support and promote unconventional and thought-provoking art projects that may challenge society's norms and beliefs.
Photography
There is an opportunity for photographers to experiment with unconventional and provocative themes to create meaningful and impactful art projects.
Ethics and Social Responsibility
Opportunity for businesses and individuals to discuss and reflect on the ethical implications of controversial art projects that challenge societal norms and provoke important conversations.
SCORE
5.5 out of 10
GENDER
50% Men50% Women
MARKETTop markets: North America, Europe, Asia
GENERATION
  • Gen Z
  • Gen Alpha
  • Millennial (primary audience)
  • Gen X (primary audience)
POPULARITY
Popularity 82%
Activity 74%
Freshness 8%

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