My most hated flaw, crooked teeth, becomes the center of the image.
The idea
A portrait where the eyes are replaced by a row of teeth. What I've always hidden becomes impossible to ignore, right where the gaze usually lands.
The why
It comes from wanting to confront the part of me that makes me most uneasy. Instead of hiding it one more time, I hand it the leading role. The discomfort doesn't disappear; it just stops being in charge.
The reference
Just as Andy Warhol turned his nose and hair into an artistic identity, the flaw here isn't celebrated, it's recognized and turned into visual language. Pop's old lesson: exposure drains shame of its power.
The craft
A deliberately simple setup: my Nikon D3200 and patience. Then Lightroom and Photoshop to pull the portrait toward the flat, silkscreen-like finish the reference demanded.
What it left me
More than a portfolio piece. Putting my insecurity at the center taught me that vulnerability composes better than perfection, a lesson I keep reusing in my visual work.
Approach & craft
Art direction and creative direction in a team of two: the concept, the reference research and the final look were mine, from the first sketch to the silkscreen-like finish.
The outcome
- A lifelong flaw turned into the image's centerpiece
- Vulnerability folded into my visual language
- Aesthetic standards questioned, Warhol style
- A self-portrait that anchors my personal narrative