The Masks We Face determine how our faces are painted

It's a collaborative project between celebrity photographer Rachell Smith and body/makeup artist Khandiz Joni, with a collection of 24 photographs, using the creative application of facial art to explore the personalities behind the portraits.

Starting out as a small scale and personal collaboration, The Masks We Face turned into an extensive project for the duo, delving into human self-awareness and consciousness. Each of the models, varying in age, ethnicity and social backgrounds, were asked to respond to a series of questions to extract snippets of their personalities. It was these answers that determined the faces they would ‘wear’ for their shoot.

Commenting on the exhibition, artists Rachell and Khandiz said: “We're really excited to be working together on this project, especially with such an incredible space to showcase the collection. What sets the exhibition apart from every other painted face is the idea of what is being painted and why. Every portrait has been personalised and considered and we hope passers-by will begin thinking differently about portraits and the people behind them.”

All photographs will be available to buy online at themasksweface.com. Private commissions are also accepted.