Asked to modify an existing photograph in response to a word or phrase for a college project, Brighton graduate Edgars Zvirgzdiņš has created a disturbing body of imagery

Zvirgzdiņš' project was a feature of the Brighton illustration and graphic design show that we covered here.

Zvirgzdiņš chose 'creep' for his word. For his image, he found this picture of an old man.

Using a scanner, he then reworked the image

So, OK, Zvirgzdiņš was working with good source material – he didn't realise at the start of his project is that his 'found' image is actually part of a remarkable series by photographer Mark Story – Living in Three Centruies: The Face of Age – in which Story travelled the world photographing people who had lived across the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.

But, true to the aims of the project, Zvirgzdiņš has taken that original and created something altogether more disturbing. His images appear, by turns, as if created from gnarled wood or weathered stone.

No (before people start jumping in in the comments section) it's not the first time scanners have been used to distort imagery and, as Zvirgzdiņš is well aware, were it a commercial project there would be copyright implications, but he has certainly produced one of the more memorable series of images from this year's graduate shows.

Check out more of his work on his website here