"Sofa" from the series To Stop a Sudden Outburst by Cortney Andrews

This stunner from Cortney Andrews is lovely and jarring at the same time. She has a delicate touch in the way the shadows play across the fabric and then lock into recognizable forms- the menacing yet limp fingers, and the feet distorted but still possible. I love also the use of the sofa to take up almost the entire frame, separating the viewer from any kind of grounding ground, or means of escape. Despite these disconcerting moments, the jar in the foreground remains the most ominous element to me, and reinforces the sense that something is not right.

From her statement:

"Using the ritualistic structures of sadomasochism, the subject positions of dominant and submissive are frequently invoked within my images. The drama of S/M operates in a highly controlled fantasy situation, which is often derived from a traumatic experience. I feel the reenactment of this experience can be a positive emotional reawakening for the participants. My images similarly inhabit a controlled fantasy situation, where I can project and, therefore, validate my feelings with an alter ego.
The imagery is intended to seduce the viewer with the use of compelling color and body language, but its complexity lies in layering these tonalities with a darker, secretive, and threatening quality. By creating a visual language depicting concealed internal desires, I believe it is possible to provoke change in the external world and encourage new discourses on the dynamics of "looking," sexuality, and power from a feminist perspective."

It seems most of Cortney's work relies on the presence of figures to drive home the narrative but I am drawn to this, where the shadow designates perhaps the absence of someone.

Speaking of absence, I sense your absence from the competition! Time's running out, enter today!