“Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles limiting our vision.” Taiwanese photographer Zhang Ahuei (b. 1987) brings Salvador Dalí’s words to life, redefining the parameters of contemporary portraiture with unexpected elements that are both quietly unsettling and deeply alluring. The results are utterly transfixing: blending real and surreal; fashion and fine art. In one portrait, lengths of hair snake across a table-top like roads leading nowhere. In another, icicles grow upwards, seemingly resisting gravity. Elsewhere, pearls take the place of tears, and flower blossoms protrude from mouths. Meanwhile, a restricted colour palette – focusing on deep blacks, milky whites, alarming reds and cobalt blues – creates bold simplicity. Unique and minimalistic styling, often incorporating organic subject matter, is paired with clean lines and slick execution. instagram.com/zhang_ahuei.

Image Credits: Zhang Ahuei, Untitled. Courtesy of the artist.