One Minute Beauty: Donna O’ Hanlon

My name is Donna O’Hanlon and I am a Glasgow based photographer.

I completed my degree last year and since then I have been working on conceptual projects.

The project I wish to submit is entitled ‘One Minute Beauty’, consisting of three images.

As a photographer I am interested in the contemporary idea of female beauty and identity in fashion imagery. I find these ideals unrelatable and as a consequence, unachievable to produce as a photographer.

At this early stage in my career, my aim is to produce work that counters contemporary beauty ideals. I achieve this by finding my own way of metaphorically ‘taking apart’ beauty and the women who represent it.

I entitled my project ‘One Minute Beauty’ as it is inspired by the ‘One Minute Sculptures’ by Erwin Wurm. Wurm created abstract human sculptures that represented the transience of humanity. My work is a response to the transience of external beauty.

The tone of the project could be described as ‘absurd’. I believe this absurdity reflects the absurdity of contemporary beauty ideals and the fashion industry in general.

I am currently in the research stage of my next concept, exploring female identity in Western culture with a view to producing a series of photographic collages that counter and contradict female stereotypes.