This work creates re-imagined photographic representations of lesser-known figures in science history inspired by the mythology and narratives of popular science fiction and fantasy. My practice-based research is inspired by the aesthetics of contemporary portraiture and fashion photography. It explores the mythology of the ‘hero’s journey’ in photographic works depicting characters through allegory and visual metaphor. The idea of faded heroes serves as an entry point for a discussion on notions of recognition, fame and authorship in the contemporary world. In an effort to blend science with other forms of visual expression, I explore how the aesthetics of highly stylized and fetishized imagery as presented in the fashion industry and commercial photography can provide a reflection on practices of science popularization where science becomes a commodity product and the figure of the scientist becomes a
spectacle.