In my Skin

“These images are from a project called In My Skin about young people under 25 in the UK who are challenging their body image. I am looking at those who have had or are considering having cosmetic surgery in order to become more acceptable to themselves and achieve their ideal of being ‘beautiful’. Social consensus in Western society today is particularly focussed on physical beauty and achieving and maintaining the “perfect” face and body. Intertwined with this I am also documenting body dysmorphia as young people try and conform to this social expectation resulting in eating disorders and body transformation. Lastly I am documenting transgenderism and the struggle young people have to live within a body they were born into but have no affiliation with. ” – Michelle Sank

My.Self

“This work was commissioned by Multistory. My remit was to document the diversity of young people living in the area – what it means to be a young person in today’s society as well as living in the Black Country. I worked across the cultural divide to cover all aspects of the social strata there. The subjects were photographed in their bedrooms so that the objects and decoration within became metaphors for their individuality and their cultural contexts. The accompanying publication My.Self contains interviews from some of the participants alongside the portraits.” – Michelle Sank