One could argue he is just adding to the already-deceptive retouching that goes into making models look picture-perfect in the first place, perhaps taking them to an opposite extreme.
Whatever the focus or method of a particular piece, the result is invariably something that suddenly seems different, new and worth noticing. Ironically, many of the morphed reworkings may draw more attention to themselves than the original ad they came from, whether they are put up in galleries or on city streets.
As Florence Reidenbach writes, “This process evokes voodoo art which uses human elements like hair or teeth to create anthropomorphic sculptures. In this context, Vermibus uses glossy paper as his flesh to manipulate.”
“There is something very organic about the emaciated creatures that emanate from the billboards. The impersonal and sanitized perfect bodies have turned into shadows or mummies that have much more presence and singularity.” You can see more of his work on Tumblr as well.
