Bodies by Gergana Aleksieva

from BA Photography · Looking for Missing Pieces · Graduate Publication 2022

The Closer it Gets by Morar Vlad

Bodies

Gergana Aleksieva

Bodies is a photographic series that aims to tackle social norms around body image. I deconstruct rigid ideas around the ideal of beauty and promote a dialogue about how these ideas can evolve through embracing inclusivity. Arranging a wide array of body types in what might be considered typical commercialised poses I aim to expose the ‘naturalness’ of these bodies played against the stereotype viewers are familiar with. I attempt to push them to reconsider how these images that promote certain kinds of bodies have had the power to dictate what is beautiful and what is not. More often than not people react in a negative way when met with suggestions that conflict with pre-conceived notions, but I hope these images promote discussion and suggest new ways of thinking about beauty.