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In celebration of the fourth annual November Art Issue, W curated W: The Art Project. Emerging visual artists competed to present photography that illustrated the theme of "obsession"—and, in the process, gained important connections with some of the most influential personalities in the art industry.
Congratulations to our winner Angelo Kritikos
With relatively little professional experience as a photographer, winner Angelo Kritikos has made it a practice to seek out the raw beauty in the world around him, anticipating inspiration and potential around every corner. The subject of his winning portrait was captured in her most natural state, without artifice—or makeup. "I told the makeup artist to back off," says Kritikos. "My obsession with raw beauty is shown in visual terms, so I embraced what came naturally to me." With a bright future ahead of him, Angelo Kritikos certainly is taking the concept of beauty to a whole, new "un-retouched" level.
The photography of the four finalists—Teng Phour, Jason Kim, Caius Christoe, and Adrien Broom—conveys a rich range of emotions, concepts, and visions.
Teng Phour
An artist studying photography at the Savannah College of Art & Design, Teng Phour's work is indicative of his "obsession" with fashion; indeed, his image conjures mystery and anonymity, which is something he feels "drives the fashion industry."
Jason Kim
Jason Kim's pursuit of photography began in high school, and he now is pursuing a BFA in photography at Parsons The New School of Design in New York City. His winning photograph was inspired by the Roman myth of Narcissus; a representation of how prevalent vanity is in today's society.
Caius Christoe
After a career in investment banking, Caius Christoe found his/her calling in photography, and translates the notion of extreme compulsion (in this case, for pencils) and how it might reflect on an individual's fashion and environment, in his work.
Adrien Broom
Finally, Adrien Bloom uses photography as a form of self-expression and exploration, tapping into her experiences in various forms of media to interpret the sinister myth of Apollo and Daphne in her photograph.
