Jason Hetherington & Mel Arter: Elements, Hardcover

Contemporary ideals about what constitutes beauty have gradually become more homogenized by the widespread popularity of shared digital experiences. Before the emergence of the internet, the application of makeup--for the majority of people--was a process of untutored, organic self-experimentation. Here, photographer Jason Hetherington (born 1972) and make-up artist Mel Arter, both based in London, debunk the modern-day fashion industry bias toward airbrushed perfection with their collaborative volume Elements.

The book presents an exhilarating study of cosmetics, landscape and light, taking a hedonistic trip to a bygone era of analogue film photography and bold, spontaneous artistry inspired by natural forms. Celebrating the powerful relationship between human and earth, Elements is an ode to a time when makeup represented freedom, ritual and instinctive creativity.

Jason Hetherington and Mel Arter have collaborated for more than a decade and Elements is their first book. Their work has been published across international fashion magazines and beauty campaigns worldwide.