All images © William Anthony

“While on assignment for Portland Monthly magazine at the Oregon Historical Society’s storage ‘vault,’ I came across their stored archive of vintage mannequins, spanning decades, from the now-defunct department store Meier & Frank. And while we did not photograph these for the feature, I couldn’t get them out of my mind. So, a few weeks later I asked my contact at the historical society if I could return to photograph a selection of them. But instead of lighting them like artifacts, I chose to light them as portraits.

The results were uncanny. I was careful to not remove any visible signs that these are inanimate objects (Velcro, seams, etc.). My point isn’t to confuse or obfuscate, but instead to reflect on what it is that makes humans animate. Some of these are so lifelike, but at the same time there is something indescribable that betrays their insentience.” –Courtesy of William Anthony