Gemma

Gemma is a beautiful young women of 20 years old. She was born covered in birthmarks of all shapes and sizes, a condition called congenital melanocytic naevus.
With this project, she decided to lay herself bare, physically but also psychologically and show the world who she really is.

« Growing up I didn’t think much about my brown patches and nobody really troubled me about the way I looked. If anyone would asked, I used to answer that it was just the way I was born. Entering adolescence, with increasing awareness of appearance, I began to wear long sleeves and scarves even in summer in order to hide my patches. I even had a few of the moles on my face removed. After secondary school however, I decided that it was enough and booked a beach holiday with my best friend. The moment I walked out in a bikini was terrifying to me. But when I realized that it was no big deal and that nothing happened, I felt releaved and gained confidence. On the contrary, I realized it could even be an attractive feature. My skin is what I make it. My boyfriend thinks my skin is beautiful and I love it. "
Gemma' s skin is part of her identity and is an artwork in itself.