Lately we have been asking, "What is beauty?"
Sigga Ella, a photographer from Iceland, is redefining beauty by showcasing scars. Titling her series “Bladvin” (which means Strength), Ella captured seven portraits of women who have alopecia — which, if you don't know, is an autoimmune disorder that causes sufferers to lose their hair.
Ella’s work aspires to defy gender stereotypes. “I took portraits of seven women who wanted to raise awareness about their condition,” Ella explained in a statement. “Many stereotypes exist about gender, one of them is that women should have long hair. Therefore bald women aren’t always accepted in our society like women with long hair would be. It’s necessary to open up the discussion and work against these gender stereotypes.”
Similar to her favorite photographer, Mary Ellen Mark, Ella highlights the beauty of underrepresented people. Ella recently launched a portrait series of people living with Down Syndrome in April. Naming it “First and Foremost,” the subjects range from infants to 60 years old. Because of the success of "Bladvin," Ella did a spinoff entitled “Harmony,” which she shot using her mother’s first 120 mm film camera.
In all her work, Ella captures the beauty of humanity in the most unexpected angles. We look forward to her next projects.
