As part of our ongoing exploration of deconstruction and reconstruction, we decided to push our abstraction further by experimenting with horizontal dissection of iconic portraits. Instead of the 3×3 grid system we had previously employed with success, we attempted to slice the images of Marilyn Monroe and Kim Kardashian horizontally through more fine divisions.

However, the results did not yield the visual impact we had hoped for. Unlike the grid system, which maintained the recognizability of key features like eyes and ears, the horizontal dissections led to fragmented and confusing results. With half an eye here and part of an eyebrow there, the abstraction was less striking and more disorienting. Rather than evoking a sense of deeper meaning or fragmentation, the images simply felt incomplete.

While this experiment allowed us to better understand the limits of abstraction, it lacked the clarity and focus of our earlier work. As a result, while we published the outcomes, this phase marks the end of our exploration into horizontal dissection. Moving forward, we will return to more effective techniques that allow the images to retain a balance between abstraction and recognisability.