This inclusive campaign is using Renaissance paintings to challenge toxic beauty standards

As is often the case with the insatiable machine that is the internet – and more precisely in this case, social media – a new dawn almost always sees a new trend take the various platforms by storm. For a few weeks now, people have been uploading photos of them into the Lensa AI app and sharing the ‘magical avatars’ it creates using this imagery. In fact, there have been days where it has seemed you can’t scroll on Instagram without seeing the animated faces of your friends, family and strangers pop up. 

However, this latest trend hasn’t come without controversy, as the app, which allows people of any age to create an account and upload their photos, has been accused of “sexualising” imagery – perhaps most notably by Megan Fox – and perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards, showing users with chiselled bodies, airbrushed skin and ample breasts. 

But this article is in fact not about Lensa AI, instead, it is about an altogether more wholesome campaign that has launched – one that, on the contrary, intends to demonstrate how AI can actually be used to showcase the beauty of diversity in the modern world by showing the world’s most iconic Renaissance artworks reimagined with a cast of diverse influencers. 

The powerful campaign, launched by inclusive razor brand, Estrid, has come following research from Estrid found a huge 61% of individuals have experienced prejudice or exclusion as a result of their identity – citing body shape and outward appearance as primary reasons for experiencing these feelings – and evidencing the demand for further visibility on a greater scale.