1

Facial reconstruction sculptures are molded from unidentified skeletal remains by forensic artists trying to help police figure out who the person was.

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They're only commissioned by law enforcement agencies when the facial features of a victim have been eroded away by the passage of time or severe trauma.

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A forensic artist's job is no easy task. Using just fiberglass, clay, intuition, and the victim's skull they have to recreate that person's likeness.

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Typically, these reconstructions are built directly onto the victim's skulls. Once the victim is identified, the artists must disassemble their work to return the skull to the family.

5

Photographer Arne Svenson, photographed these highly detailed facial reconstructions as if he were just taking a traditional portrait.

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The focus in all of these photos is the eyes. It's easy to forget that these aren't actually people.

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These reconstructions are uncannily detailed

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The goal of this project his project is for viewers to relate to these people as fellow humans.