Lina Czerny: I Am Not Like Me. Versions of Becoming

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. 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.