Defence Mechanism

The body as battleground. The body as armour. The body as weapon. Defence Mechanism, our February Digital Cover, lensed by Toronto-based photographer Lucy Mahoney and featuring model Claire Steven dismantles the boundaries between self-preservation and self-destruction. Through an eerie yet mesmerizing series of temporary body modifications, Claire transforms into something both primal and poetic—a beautiful freak, sculpted in sharp edges and soft silhouettes, embodying the paradox of vulnerability and power.

defence mechanism, Defence Mechanism, Liminul Magazine

defence mechanism, Defence Mechanism, Liminul Magazine

Mahoney’s lens captures the visceral tension of self-protection: what does it mean to arm oneself in a world that renders female bodies both fetishized and endangered? What would our defence mechanisms look like if they manifested onto skin? Jagged protrusions, razor-thin lines, textures that beg to be touched but recoil upon impact—Claire’s metamorphosis speaks to the subconscious urge to fortify, to shape-shift, to survive. As we enter the first month of a Trump presidency, and the global rise of alt-right fascism, and where societal measures are being implemented in real-time to wage war on femme bodies, such defence mechanisms are are no longer theoretical—they are necessary acts of survival.

There is a monstrousness here, but not in the way we have been conditioned to fear. Claire’s altered form is an assertion rather than an aberration. She is the creature lurking in the periphery of patriarchal nightmares—unruly, untamed, and unwilling to be rendered passive. She does not shrink from the gaze but meets it head-on, defying the expectations of what it means to be feminine, to be palatable, to be safe.

defence mechanism, Defence Mechanism, Liminul Magazine

defence mechanism, Defence Mechanism, Liminul Magazine

But Defence Mechanism is not just about fear—it is about the fluidity of identity under pressure. The modifications, though stark, remain impermanent. They peel away, revealing skin beneath, reminding us that transformation is a process, not a destination. Like the emotions that accompany survival—shame, rage, defiance, empowerment—these adornments are ephemeral yet deeply felt.

In a time where bodily autonomy is under siege, Mahoney and Steven present a vision of self-protection that is both surreal and devastatingly real. Through the language of performance, texture, and transformation, Defence Mechanism asks: What does it mean to be untouchable? And at what cost?

defence mechanism, Defence Mechanism, Liminul Magazine

defence mechanism, Defence Mechanism, Liminul Magazine

Team Credits

Photography: Lucy Mahoney
Model: Claire Steven
SFX Makeup: Lucy Mahoney

 


defence mechanism, Defence Mechanism, Liminul Magazine

Cody Rooney is the Editor in Chief and senior contributor at liminul.

He is a PhD candidate, digital content specialist, writer, editor, multi-media artist, and photographer.