Despite the enthusiastic attempt, it is often difficult for us to uproot some useless beliefs. Such is the case of “the ugly duckling syndrome”, a complex of insecurity for having an unfavorable aesthetic condition regarding social standards. If we believe that we are ugly, it all reflects in ourselves. This causes a vicious circle from which it is difficult to escape.
The intellectual exercise is not enough to escape the downward vortex that feeds our insecurity. Insecurities make us diminish ourselves from others, reflect in our behavior like embittering our gestures, our expressions, our body posture, the way we walk, etc.
One way to deal with this situation is through the visual experimentation. Gracie Hagen, self-taught photographer, has given the nail with “Body Illusions,” a magnificent work on photographic nudes facing the rules on how we think our bodies should look. By poses, lights and contortions, the photographer connects meanings that taken together show that attitude and beauty go hand in hand, understanding which can be very useful to anyone who wants to get rid of their aesthetic prejudices.