How to swallow an eye from a face

How to swallow an eye from a face is a series of portraits showing fabricanti from the current generation. By letting them all express themselves freely, Frederik Marks tried to create an atmosphere where it was possible to make kin with his fellows. By photographing the reflections in a mirror foil, creates images that blur both the model’s and the viewer’s expectations of how a body should look like. This method also shifts the hierarchy between the photographer and the models, as the photographer stands next to them, rather than in front of them, while taking the pictures.

Artist’s statement

Back in 2020, I was involved in a serious car crash, and ever since, I’ve been carrying a scar on my knee. My personal experiences are reflected in my sculptures depicting trauma and in my pictures portraying distorted body images. In How to swallow an eye from a face, I was inspired by the work of the photographer Ira Cohen. He used Mylar foil, a sort of mirror surface, to document his friends in the psychedelic-infused 70s and 80s in New York. Thus, I have created a series that gives our generation of fabricanti a monumental presence as hosts during Fabrica30. While photographing my fellows, I stand shoulder to shoulder with them, shooting their reflections on the mirror foil. Some images recall classical painting while others are playful, but each aims to express every personality through their poses and clothing.