2nd Place winner

Beauty Madness
DESCRIPTION
My new photo project "Beauty Madness," is about modern beauty ideals that distort women and make them look like dolls instead of emphasizing their individuality. I want to satirically question these ideals because our society seems to be slowly getting fed up with them – with egalitarianism and imposed beauty standards.In fact, these ideals follow the principles of the beauty industry: money is made by exploiting women's inner complexes. Beauty images such as full lips or a large butt are constantly being forced upon us in the media.
As we know, there were certain ideas of female beauty in that era. Today, however, women are mostly portrayed as sex objects. Unfortunately, many women have internalized these beauty standards and are too focused on "improving" themselves. Whether this makes them happier is another question entirely.
With this color photo series, I want to show how banal and degrading these modern beauty clichés are – clichés that degrade women rather than empower them.
AUTHOR
Born in 1980 in Riga, Latvia, I have lived and worked in Germany since 2010.My artistic journey began with sculpture at Riga Art College and continued at the Latvian Academy of Arts, where I earned a Bachelor's degree in Visual Communication in 2005 and a Master's degree in 2007.
Photography became my primary artistic medium in 2001, after I purchased my first camera while studying sculpture. Since then, I have been drawn to portraiture, exploring the connection between a person's inner world and outward presence. My background in sculpture and painting continues to shape my approach to form, light, and composition.
Beginning with black-and-white portraiture, I later transitioned to color photography, embracing its ability to convey atmosphere and emotion. My work is an ongoing search for beauty in people and nature, creating poetic images that evoke love, harmony, and a sense of timelessness.
Alongside my artistic practice, I work as a professional commercial photographer.