Through her ongoing photo project #bOObs, photographer Sylvia Kouveli redefines what it means to bare oneself. Launched in 2017 in Greece, the series documents over a hundred chests — diverse in shape, gender, and story — turning what’s often objectified or hidden into a site of truth and empowerment.
Each portrait is anonymous yet deeply personal. Stripped of names and faces, the focus shifts to skin, scars, texture, and form — the silent testimonies of lived experience. One subject is a man who has undergone a mastectomy after breast cancer treatment; others are women confronting shame, survival, or self-acceptance. In front of Sylvia’s lens, the body becomes both political and tender — a map of resilience.
Grounded in her background in visual sociology, Sylvia’s practice blends research and emotion, using photography as both documentation and dialogue. #bOObs isn’t just about representation — it’s about reclamation: of body, narrative, and visibility.
Through the act of being photographed, as well as seeing the photographs displayed, the participants feel empowered by the act itself, but also by the variety of boob stories being shared.
–Sylvia Kouveli
Follow the project on Instagram @boobs4prevention and explore more at sylviakouveli.com
