Skin is Art Campaign
Skin Is Art is a visual storytelling initiative that explores skin as a medium of identity, history, and lived experience. This medical humanities initiative invites students, patients, and community members to share creative work—including photography, visual art, and writing—that reflects diverse experiences of skin, from texture and tone to scars, aging, and dermatologic conditions (hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, alopecia, eczema, acne, blistering disease, etc). This initiative seeks to celebrate skin of color, amplify underrepresented voices, and foster dialogue at the intersection of art, identity, equity, and medicine. By celebrating skin in all its forms, Skin Is Art creates a platform for storytelling, reflection, and community engagement across Penn and the diverse populations of West Philadelphia!
To send inquiries or submit a piece, please contact: haya.alkiswani@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
So Many Colors
by Aneeshea Cason
So many colors and textures, I choose to be
Kind to you, one of the first things people see
I find beauty in how you glow, how you heal
No matter how you change, learning to love the imperfections
Pores and the Beauty Industry
by Anonymous
Pores are often scrutinized in the beauty industry, but when I see pores like this, I see budding flowers. The image becomes a living landscape of gentle hills, a reminder that perfection does not exist in nature.
Wound Healing
by Anonymous
In this literal image of a wound evolving into a scab, we see a manifestation of time elapsing. It’s worth noting that healing can feel dark (just like the scab color transition we see here) but is ultimately the way to recovery.
The Road Ahead
by Anonymous
Do you see that road? Centered and well demarcated – this road is surrounded by a geometric masterpiece of striped triangles, rectangles, and rhombuses.
Beauty Mark
by Anonymous
This is a photo of a beauty mark surrounded by black hairs - a striking, natural epitome of beauty.
Texture
by Anonymous
This is what normal skin texture looks like: a pattern of quiet tan and brown constellations.
Define Beauty
by Anonymous
Beauty lies in the exact way that we are. No version is better than in the way we are beautifully born.
Healing Forehead
by Anonymous
This photograph captures my forehead in the midst of healing, with stitches tracing a moment where injury, care, and recovery intersect. In sharing it with Skin Is Art, I reflect on how skin holds visible evidence of vulnerability and resilience, carrying stories that connect medicine, identity, and lived experience.
