Identity crisis
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'Neurotica' by Miss Aniela, at Impure Art, 13 Ship Street Gardens, Brighton, BN1 1AJ until August 30, 2009. Above: 'They Gathered to See', Miss Aniela, 2008
Self-portraiture is a seemingly straightforward concept, but photographers like Miss Aniela can transform it into something quite complex. In 'Neurotica', she is muse, model and photographer all in one and uses whimsical atmospherics and plenty of wit to explore not just one self, but several. And as the cheeky portmanteau title suggests, these many selves fluctuate from angst-ridden to deeply sensual. You could call this narcissistic navel-gazing, but her use of a theatrical alias (her real name is Natalie Dybisz) suggests that these self-portraits are not exactly windows into her soul after all. Despite abounding with personalities, they leave us strangely none the wiser as to who she really is.







