Patty Hartley 'Face Corsets' (2002)

Paddy Hartley's Face Corsets, commissioned by the Victoria & Albert Museum and funded by the Wellcome Trust People Award, are bold explorations of beauty, body modification, and surgical extremes. Created in 2002, these corsets offer a raw, provocative commentary on the consequences of excessive cosmetic surgery. Each piece mimics the effects of such procedures, contorting the human face in ways that are both striking and grotesque. Hartley’s work challenges societal standards of beauty, pushing viewers to confront the lengths people go to in pursuit of perfection and the price paid for it—both physically and psychologically.

Exhibited globally, Face Corsets have been featured in various renowned venues, from the Science Museum in London during the Future Face exhibition to the Alter Nature showcase in Belgium's Fashion Museum. The pieces also appeared at Sydney’s Macquarie University Gallery in the Bodily Alter(c)ations exhibition and were part of the Short Cuts to Beauty display at the Victoria & Albert Museum. These exhibitions placed Hartley's work at the crossroads of art, fashion, and science, cementing his reputation as an artist unafraid to blend satire with a deeply rooted critique of modern beauty culture. His creations evolved into a series of fashion artifacts, later catching the eye of high-profile figures like Lady Gaga and Rihanna, ensuring his designs transcended both art and popular culture.