This article originally appeared on VICE GermanyLast week, the fourth annual Unseen Photo Fair opened in Amsterdam. Among the extraordinary pieces of work showcased this year is an exhibition by second year photography students from the Lausanne Space for Contemporary Art (ECLA). Led by Dutch curator Erik Kessels, the project is titled The Embarrassment Project.The students were told that as creatives they had to be prepared to make mistakes and be ridiculed. If they couldn't handle that then they were getting into the wrong business. The assignment was simple: "Be brave and create a body of work that feels both embarrassing and liberating. Basically, take a risk and be comfortable with making yourself look like a twat."
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It takes a lot of courage to be honest with complete strangers. For some artists, the work ended up being a way of dealing with their plaguing issues, while for others it was probably just a bit of a laugh. Overall, the project's most important outcome is that by exhibiting these hidden neuroses, the artists managed to create visuals that they may not have been able to otherwise.Below are some of the works, along with the artists' statements:Related: Watch 'Picture Perfect: Asger Carlsen'
Marine Vallotton - Happy French Kissing Day
Diane Deschenaux - Myself
Tanya Kottler - In the Process of Separation
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