By the age of eight, I felt that I was ugly.
There were so many times when I was being picked on as a kid because I was Colombian, flat chested and didn’t wear any cool clothes that were in style. I come from a working-class family and my parents did the best they could to raise my siblings and I. However that didn’t stop girls from my class tripping me and calling me names because my fashion sense was funny to them. Being a kid really sucks sometimes and as we grow up, we tend to forget how difficult it can be. Especially if you’re an outsider, a loner, or just different.
Who doesn’t want to look beautiful, right?
After I graduated college, I was given the opportunity to work as a part-time photographer to take images of upcoming fashion models. I LEAPED at the chance and felt as though I had hit the jackpot! Not only will I be a working photographer which is a dream, but I will be seeing the glamorous side of fashion and maybe rub some elbows with Gwen Stefani while Lady GaGa and I laugh together and drink whiskey at a cool vintage bar in the village (yes…I thought these things).
I couldn’t wait to get started!
One day I finished photographing a beautiful model in Brooklyn and after the shoot was over, I edited the images and sent them to the agency for approval and payment. They sent the images right back to me with a message saying “Needs more editing“. So I edited the images some more: made sure the skin was smoother, eyes were brighter and hair was shinier. I sent the images again…and they were sent back to me again with the same message:
“Needs more editing“.
I didn’t understand what they were looking for so I wrote to the agency asking what type of editing did they want and they complained about the models’ jaw not being straighter, waist not being smaller and her hips were too large. I knew when coming into the fashion world that the models’ faces were edited but I never thought that my responsibility was to change every single part of their body.
They wanted me to alter her entire body!
It made me think of all of the women in magazine covers and how when I was a child I wanted to look like them and now I realized, they are not real.
So, I left.
I was unemployed and somewhat heartbroken over my experience and I wanted to do something about it. I had so much anger and frustration because social media and magazines tell people what beauty is SUPPOSE to look like when real beauty is everywhere and in everyone.
The beauty in magazines is not real!
But I knew in order to create something that would really blow everyone’s mind, I would need some help and who better to ask for help than your own family. I told them all about a project that I was working on and wanted to take professional studio images of them. We all had an amazing photo shoot together and decided that instead of manipulating their faces like my previous job in the fashion world, I would combine there faces into one.
I wanted to use the tools that I have learning from fashion and throw it right back at them!
And that is how I created the Familia Series.
This series was the most rewarding and the most REJECTED out of all of my artworks. Some critics called this series ugly, monstrous and crazy. But other critics found this series to be fascinating, meaningful and even beautiful. When my family saw the images, they were all in shock and thought this is was amazing! After the images were completed, the Familia Series was showcased at Hunter College:
During the show, some students and peers said that the work was in a way my own personal attack on the fashion world and loved it. Others said that they couldn’t look at these faces for long because it made them feel uncomfortable and wouldn’t want to be with these people alone (“they look like monsters!“)
This body of work is basically my love/hate letter to the fashion world’s definition of beauty.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and you are beautiful just the way you are whether you are tall, short, big, small, or flat chested. Never ever let a magazine cover tell you otherwise.
Now it’s time for you to change the world.
Leave a comment with three specific examples on how you can show the fashion world just how beautiful you really are. And don’t forget to share this with your friends, spread the word of what you think true beauty really is.
I would love to hear your story.
With love,
Well written Kim! The way magazines and major media outlets try to enforce a standard of beauty is so upsetting. Especially to see many teenage girls fall in this trap of supposed beauty and with a desperate urge to want to fit in, they’re being taken advantage of and it’s almost a helpless feeling. As a guy I can’t relate to this article as my interest in fashion is extremely low but it can relate to my frustration with the music industry where ignorance and lazy music is dominating the airwaves and record companies break talented artists into producing and making garbage. Coming back, the fact that they complained about hips and very specific about measurements and womanly curves, shows just how shallow and disgustingly unreal the pictures on magazines are and how they fool people into reaching an unrealistic body.
ps. why is the human barbie alive? that is the most hideous thing I’ve ever seen.
You’re still ugly, you have no talent and nobody likes you. 🙂
LOL!! Love how out of all the people, my mentor says this 😀 Miss you too Doug
Thank you Christian – I most definitely agree with you about the music industry and how “lazy music” (which is the best way to describe our generations taste) is literally overpopulating the globe. There are only a handful of albums that I love and would refer to other people. It’s insane!
Seeing as we went to school together, I know what you went through & personally had to deal with the same mean spirited kids. Now, working with children, I see this all the time & it breaks my heart. Kids come up to me crying that someone is picking on them or teasing them because of their skin color, hair, weight, height, etc. I try to console them, tell them that it’ll get better, that when they’re older they don’t have to deal with this, but quite frankly, it’s a lie. It never goes away, the bully just gets bigger.
You see posts online all the time about extreme editing in advertising, but it’s different to hear how it happened firsthand to someone you know. Although I don’t see this problem going away in the near future, pieces like your Familia Series & this accompanying article help to shed light on a real issue in our culture.
That being said, I absolutely loved reading this. It is so beautifully written!
Kim! This is an amazing series! The concept is strong on several levels: People genetically look like warped copies of their family members, and we are psychologically composed of our family members, as well. Your photo series demonstrates this duality visually–on top of sticking it to the fashion world. F*** the fashion world! You, your family, your message and your photos are beautiful!
I’ve been put through the ringer based on my height, hair, skin color, and what I wore throughout my school years. The only noticeable difference is that as I got older, people were not as vocal about it. The only time someone says anything now is if I’ve asked for their honest opinion or they’re out to insult me.
The concept of conventional attractiveness, the physical qualities that a majority of people would consider attractive, allows for practices that you’ve described to run rampant.
If you’re an advertiser looking to sell a product with a model involved, you’re going to try your damnedest to block out the “flaws” of the model and make your model look as conventionally attractive as possible even if said model is already good-looking. It’s a mind game. A customer will feel that that product will make them as attractive as the model or for the more egotistical consumer: “I’d look better in that.” It sells. That’s the only reason why it happens these days.
I don’t think it’ll change anytime soon. However if more people learn, especially at a younger age, that attractiveness is subjective, then maybe the fashion industry will change their tactics to something more honest once it’s noted that nobody is fooled anymore.
And look at us now – we are doing amazing things! That’s awesome how you work with children and can relate to there experiences. It gives them a sense of comfort that you truly understand which is what they need and will thank you for 🙂
I think you are brave, creative, honest and innovative! I love how your work is taking a stand with the fashion industry. I can tell you now that when I see another magazine cover/ads I will think of you and remember that the models aren’t “real”. So sad, cruel and meaningless. What’s your next endeavor??
Kim
You’re amazing. You always have been ever since you were a lil girl. I always knew you had it in you to prove to the world how amazing you could be. Its so exciting to see you flourish into this creative artist. I’m so proud of you! Look at you! All of this is so exciting!
You’re a great role model of how to turn your fears into art work that embraces imperfections so well that its perfect… lol
I can’t wait to see more!
I couldn’t resist commenting. Very well written!
Thank you so much!