Beauty ideals have shaped our lives since time immemorial. In her first monograph, I am not like me, photographer Lina Czerny (b. 1993) focuses on the body as the stage upon which we present ourselves. Between self-determination and normative images, she explores how people shape their appearance, using make-up, cosmetic treatments, tattoos, or training to design their identity. I am not like me is not a contradiction, but rather an expression of the capacity for transformation and distance between one’s past, present, and future. Czerny photographs in a diverse range of settings, from cosmetic procedures to gender-affirming surgery to a dominatrix’s studio, from bodybuilding competitions to beauty contests. The combination of portraits, video-stills, and interviews shows how closely self-design is tied to societal expectations-and where there is nevertheless scope for autonomy.
