75 women volunteered to show you their bodies so you can see how different we all look. So you can see that our bodies are neither bad nor good... they just are.
Amanda Thorson is a Canberra-based artist and photographer whose work celebrates our differences, and challenges the way we perceive our bodies. Amanda believes in the idea that photographers can either contribute to or fight against the lie of the ‘ideal’ body’.
Amanda wanted to photograph women in an environment where it wasn’t weird for them to be naked. Women In Bathrooms was a project Amanda began in 2018, photographing women in their own bathrooms, going about their own daily routines of self-care.
There Is No Normal is the outcome of these efforts—a printed editorial publication that is so much more than a coffee table book.
“It brought tears to my eyes and a lump to the back of my throat - these women - so wonderful of them to share and some of them look like me - some look like people I know - I had the - 'I’m not the only one' reaction a few times”
“Can I just say that I’m still experiencing the flow-on self esteem effects of Amanda’s book? I have seen myself in the mirror differently this weekend.”
“My plucky seven year old daughter picked up your book. It held her complete attention front cover to back cover!! She looked closely at every single page, read every single quote. You know what she said to me ‘everyone’s girl bodies are so different!’ I could have bloody wept. Thank you for your book, thank you for your photos, and thank you for reiterating and beautifully SHOWING my daughter what women actually look like in all their glory.”
“The thing that struck me most is how thankful I am for a book like this to exist in our house where we are raising two boys. Thank you!”
“I’ve found your book very confronting, in a good way. I cried when I looked through it. I think you’ve done an amazing job and have been talking to other women about it.”
There Is No Normal
75 Women Photographed By Amanda Thorson
Alicia, Alix Victoria, Amanda, Amy, Anna, Ann, Anonymous (8), Anthea, Antonia, Belinda, Beth, Brenna, Britt, Brittany, Brooke, Caitlin, Cathy, Chenoa, Danielle, Dearne, Edwina, Elise, Ellen, Emily, Grace, Hannah, Hayley, Hetty, Helen, Holly, Jane, Jess, Jo-Ann, Katina, Ladina, Lauren, Leah, Leanne, Lieslg, Lisa, Lizzie, Louise, LouLou, Lulu, Megan, Mem, Milly, Nancy, Philippa, Polly, Stella, Rebecca, Renaye, Renée, Rosie, Ruby, Ruby, Sam, Sarah, Tanya, Tegan, Tess, Vicki, Winnie and Yuanita.
Book by Christopher Doyle & Co. (Studio) • Christopher Doyle (Creative Director) • Josie Young (Designer) • Emily Sneddon (Designer)
Words by Amanda Thorson (Foreword & Interview) • Josie Young (Interview) • Grace MacKenzie (Editing) • As well as Q&A excerpts from the 75 women.
Printing by Spitting Image Print • ISBN – 978-0-6451698-0-5