“The world isn’t black and white, it’s made up of many, many different shades of grey. People like to make things black and white so it’s easier to understand,” says photographer Gracie Hagen, the artistic mind and talent behind the eye-catching series “Illusions of the Body.” 

Nude, creased, bent and with everything exposed, this project challenges contemporary beauty norms, and the ideas we all have about what our bodies “should” look like.

While Hagen appreciates the beauty of the human body, she also describes it as weird and smelly. (Something we all know but don’t usually discuss.) Her photos show the odd shapes that are created when we contort ourselves; it’s amazing how a small twist of a shoulder or tilt of a head can make an individual appear so completely different. 

How many times have you felt your tummy rolls as you sat naked with a partner? How familiar is the feeling of trying to find the perfect position—for sex, for a selfie, or just for standing in a bar—to look as beautiful as possible?  In a world saturated with thinspo, fast dieting, Photoshop, Instagram filters and tabloids comparing the best and worst beach bodies, it’s refreshing to come across an artist willing to explore the body in all of its fascinating angles.

Though this passionate series, Hagen’s goal is to change your mind in the way that you view yourself, your body and the bodies of others. I know she’s made me feel more comfortable, you?