Maya Kachra, 17
This work is an examination of the intersection between Western beauty standards and my Asian identity. Throughout these pieces I explored assimilation to western culture and the internal struggles of conforming to white beauty standards and how that impacts identity, self-perception and self-love. I froze specific beauty products in ice as a way to highlight my idolization of these standards presented though society and the media. The melting process contrasts society’s idea of preserving beauty, and creates a unique tension in the pieces. In my current artistic practice, I’m interested in addressing the colonial systems we live in and perpetuate everyday and how that shapes our individual identity. This photography work is a stepping stone in a process of self-love and a push back against our systems. My hope is that viewers can connect to this series in their own ways and discover their role in our social systems.