Multi-media artist Susanne Junker has practiced self-observation since teenage years and used her meiotic exposure to break down the preconceived notions of her then-job as a model in the 1990s, and her own struggle with what she describes as "24/7 perfectionism".

Her work explores the concept of identity in a visually driven world: a keen observer of pop culture and social media, she has long questioned the representation of women in the media.

In her practice, her own face and body often become a tool to confront beauty standards, gender role stereotypes and ageism through self-appropriation and a feminist perspective.

Susanne: “It all started with the Miss Vogue Germany modelling contest in 1989, where I came in third place at the age of 16. It immediately catapulted me to Paris and into the international modeling world, and I worked as a model for 12 years.

The 1990s were the era of glamorous supermodels selling their perfect physical appearance. Beauty standards were mostly set by male photographers, the shooting of female bodies and the male gaze remained dominant in society. After working in the industry for several years, those rigid norms became unbearable to me.

By 1995 they compelled me to shift from object to author. I captured my unadorned self, using an analogue camera with roll film, adopting different personas, expressing authenticity, anger, boredom, and wittiness, through my self-created images. This conscious decision opened a long path to my self-appropriation”.

Photos:

Susanne in front of her self-portrait: “The perfect Woman is a Lie #1 ”, Kunsthalle Augsburg, Museen Augsburg, Germany, 2025

Susanne in front of her self-portrait: “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Women”, Kunsthalle Augsburg, Museen Augsburg, Germany, 2025

© Dirk Hund