Olivia Arthur: Beyond the Human Form
Olivia Arthur’s book “Murmurings of the Skin” reflects on our relationship to the body, in intimate settings and in connection to technology, challenging notions of what it means to be human.
The visuals of different settings are connected through texture and movement. The book mixes images of the photographer’s pregnancy and her two daughters with scenes related to gender and sexuality, a child robot, the motion sequence of an amputee ballerina reminiscent of Eadweard Muybridge’s studies, portraits captured in Rome during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Lola the robot at Munich’s Technical University. Germany. 2020. © Olivia Arthur / Magnum Photos
Claire’s hot water scar. Correze France 2024. © Olivia Arthur / Magnum Photos
Pollyanna dancing on her blade. London, UK. 2020 © Olivia Arthur / Magnum Photos
Telenoid Robot. Aarhus, Denmark. 2021. © Olivia Arthur / Magnum Photos
“I’m fascinated with the idea of physicality and of trying to find a way to capture the energy running through people’s bodies, the feeling of skin touching skin. Though the work looks at technology and its achievements, ultimately it is about people, love, the power of the body and strength of the mind, and our never-ending need for physical closeness.”
Thea’s double tooth. London, UK. 2022. © Olivia Arthur / Magnum Photos
Wrestlers at Borgo Prati-Roma. Rome, Italy. 2021. © Olivia Arthur / Magnum Photos
Lorelei’s birth. London UK 2017. © Olivia Arthur / Magnum Photos
