By Marcos García, Sokpanha Sar, Nicolás Berenguer & Aritz Zabala
In an age where beauty is often filtered and edited, Perfect Imperfections emerges as a powerful exploration of how social media is reshaping the way young people see themselves. This project delves into the digital forces influencing self-esteem and body image among younglings between 20 to 25, offering a poignant reflection on the psychological toll of online beauty standards.
Why This Project?
Social media platforms especially Instagram and TikTok have become digital mirrors, constantly reflecting idealized versions of beauty. Influencers, celebrities, and seemingly flawless posts create unattainable standards, prompting young users to modify their own appearance online. Perfect Imperfections aims to investigate this phenomenon and give voice to the real emotions behind the filters by photographing the faces and the imperfections they think they have.
Throughout the project, we showcase testimonies from young individuals like this:
“I use filters on Instagram, and when I see myself in the mirror I can’t recognize myself without them.”
“We compare ourselves to people on social media who are not even real versions of themselves.”
These quotes reveal the emotional disconnection between one’s real self and one’s digital identity, a dissonance that breeds confusion, anxiety, and lowered self-worth.
In conclusion, this project combines statistics, psychological insights, and personal testimonies to encourage readers to reflect on what ‘perfection’ truly means and to recognize the beauty found in imperfection. To further emphasize this message, we will present on the 23 rd of May a collage of the imperfections of the people we photographed, showcasing the idea on a larger artistic scale.
