(Short Film)
Production Sound Mixing
On Beauty examines the beauty individuals see in themselves in contrast to the beauty seen in them by a stranger. So often as individuals, our body image takes such a battering that feeling beautiful can be hard – sometimes we just can’t see beauty in ourselves at all.
The problem is, we're so bombarded by unattainable standards of beauty – in media, ads, on social media – that we undervalue the true beauty in ourselves. More than half of people globally agree that when it comes to how they look, they’re their own worst critic. Our perception of ourselves is far less positive than it should be.
Inspired by the alluring portraits of artist Louis Thomas, this experiment looks at how individuals feel as they sit, quietly observed by an artist while being painted. What vulnerabilities surface? How do individuals see themselves? How do they think the artist will see them?
The short film cuts between the inner thoughts of the subject and the perception of Louis as he paints. What someone may consider one of their greatest physical flaws, Louis may see as an appealing, defining characteristic. We explore feelings individuals navigate on age, gender, motherhood, natural hair, among other personal journeys.