In 2002, I became obsessed with body hair. The sight and thought of it completely repulsed me, so I started to pull the hairs out of my body one-by-one with tweezers. Over the years the obsession-- known to the medical profession as Trichotillomania (aka hair pulling)-- has reached a point where it completely controls my life.

With the use of different camera lenses, I scrutinize the various techniques I use to remove body hair. With the recent addition of video and personal narration, the project has evolved from a series of photographs into a multimedia collection. The immediacy of the videos additionally breaks down the distance between me and the viewer so that anyone watching can understand that it is by no means necessary to have Trichotillomania to relate to the addictive, compulsive, and anxiety relieving behaviors.

While the work focuses on my particular disorder, it addresses the larger issue of obsession. We all struggle with behaviors that we want to stop. And with most obsessive behavior, we must acknowledge that the behavior we view as disruptive or bad, is also a source of tranquility and relief from daily stress. Read Less