These unconventional portraits will challenge everything you think you know about beauty

Debora Brune's new photobook, UNCOOL, boldly defies traditional photography concepts about beauty, disability, and worthy bodies. Instead of adhering to societal standards, Brune showcases people whose appearances deviate from conventional notions of attractiveness. The collection features subjects with various conditions, such as wheelchair users, amputees, cancer survivors, those with Down syndrome, visual impairments, and hearing difficulties.

Rather than pitying her subjects or categorizing them, Brune applies the same ambition and creative freedom she would apply to a fashion shoot. She presents their bodies not as illustrative documents of a problem but as the main subject of the portraits. By focusing on their physical presence, Brune aims to challenge viewers' preconceived notions of what a body portrait should portray.

The disability or illness of a subject often becomes the focal point in traditional photography, potentially defining the individual. However, Brune breaks away from this trend, emphasizing the individual's physical presence in the frame rather than their condition. In doing so, she invites viewers to engage with the subjects' authentic experiences rather than pitying them or dismissing them as mere visual shorthand.

Brune's approach to her subjects is one of clarity and formal precision. She ensures that the subjects occupy the frame on their own terms, without seeking to turn the photograph into something sensational. The resulting images are stark and unflinching, offering viewers a direct confrontation with the subjects' differences.

Throughout the book, poetic fragments provide context and insight into Brune's perspective. For instance, "Patterned and patched / bodies don't need symmetry / to speak of grace" underscores Brune's embrace of imperfection and individuality. Similarly, Catrin's reflection on living with visible scarring highlights the subject's resilience and the importance of self-perspective.

Similarly, Kjell's blunt statement, "I no longer want to explain myself as a body," challenges viewers to look beyond superficial appearances and recognize the depth of individual experiences. Junior's direct challenge to the viewer, "My existence shouldn't make you uncomfortable. If I can find beauty and pride in myself and this world – so can you," encourages empathy and a broader understanding of beauty.

In summary, Debora Brune's UNCOOL challenges photography's long-held ideas about beauty, disability, and worthy bodies. By focusing on the subject's physical presence and avoiding pity or sensationalism, Brune presents a collection of portraits that confront viewers and invite them to reconsider their preconceived notions of what a body portrait should look like.