THE OTHER SIDE OF VENUS
THE OTHER SIDE OF VENUS
CREDITS
Bodily change and self-confidence play a major role in the realization of one‘s identity. The act of seeking recognition from the other arouses the central tenet of portrait photography: The issue of identity and self-image. German photographer Anna Charlotte Schmid (1984) captures vulnerable portraits of young men in Eastern Europe who are in the process of questioning their sexuality, raising issues into not only how they see themselves, but how they are seen by others.
For these young men in their home countries, questioning your sexuality can mean that you will be ostracized, persecuted or discriminated against. Schmid’s documentary photographs visualize the longings of these young men to be accepted by society, strengthening this feeling by placing them in a rueful ambiance. Alienated by their differences, these young men often find themselves sidelined into living in abandoned places, seeking shelter, security and to a protected place to live in. Schmid’s contemplative portraits focus on their individuality and vulnerability, awakening in the viewer sympathy for the experience of walking the path to find acceptance.
