Scars that Sparkle
A local photographer who is changing perceptions of peoples’ scar
Photo provided by the (re)markable project
Note: This article was originally included in a mental health-themed magazine that I designed called “Lighthouse.” Content warning: the article discusses self-harm.
Scroll through Instagram and you’ll find a copious amount of influencers to admire, void of flaws. On this very platform, however, you may encounter a photo that subverts all expectations: a woman is sitting in a brightly-lit room holding a mug. Her legs are covered with speckles of glitter strewn like constellations. The glitter marks her scars, but it isn’t just this one photo. There are hundreds of photos making up a unique pocket of Instagram: the (re)markable project’s Instagram page.
(Re)markable project is a series of photos that capture people’s scars covered in a medium of their choosing, although most participants have opted for glitter. The intent is to celebrate, not conceal scars. The project captures all types of scars. From self-harm to stretch marks—nothing is off limits.
“Scars are just a part of life and something to be celebrated. You can’t have victory without a battle and these are my battle scars.”
In 2017, the Social Networking Services (SNS) assessed adolescent’s social media interactions about self-harm injuries on Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram: “Data collection yielded a sample of 1,155 public posts (770 of which were related to mental health). Roughly 60% of sampled posts depicted graphic content, almost half included negative self-evaluations, only 9.5% discouraged self-injury, and less than 1% included formal recovery resources.” Needless to say, (re)markable stands out as portraying scars—all scars—in a very different light.
“From physical scars, it’s developed to stretch marks and emotional scars,” said SJ Valiquette, founder of (re)markable, “it’s really about expressing trauma and owning trauma in an interesting way. Scars show all of the things our bodies have gone through, many of which are traumatic, even if it’s something like a stretch mark. Sometimes they are traumatic simply because they are so stigmatized.”
Photo of SJ Valiquette, taken by Carly Grabher
About the Photographer
Valiquette, a self-taught photographer, is the woman who holds the lens. Originally from Alberta, she moved to Victoria, B.C. for a degree in Theatre at the University of Victoria (UVic), with a specialization in acting. A photographer, spoken-word poet, actor, and barista at Picnic Coffee, Valiquette exists in a constant state of creative chaos, somehow managing to pursue many artistic outlets and make a statement with each.
Her photography education started in a high school club and is something she keeps up out of interest. There were only four of them in the club and they only met three times, but the lessons she learned about composition stayed with her, even as she dabbled in other passions.
The Idea Behind the Project
One day, while wandering the hallways of the Phoenix theatre, Valiquette ran into her friend, Caitlyn (Cai) Holm with glitter on her arm, something Holm had adopted as a party accessory following a rock climbing accident.
“The first time SJ noticed my scar was at school,” said Holm. “I remember decorating my scar the night before with my roommate’s glitter tattoo kit. That was a couple of months after my surgery. The only reason I didn’t wash it off that night was because I was still too scared to rub the scar. SJ approached me about this idea of photographing my scar with the glitter just like I had it that day.”
With Holm’s blessing, the idea for (re)markable was born. Two years later (2018), and with her degree out of the way, Valiquette decided it was time to revisit this passion project.
Photo of Anna Brougham, provided by the (re)markable project
“When I saw SJ start to publish those photos I was like, ‘I want to message her about participating’, said Anna Brougham, a student in the UVic writing department. “I remembered SJ talking about the idea years ago and I’d grown a lot since then; I’d gotten my tattoo over some of my scars, which was a really important part of my journey. So, I was excited to support the project and have a symbolic marker of my own progress with my scars.”
When asked to elaborate on this journey, Brougham said, “For a long time it felt like this weird thing that I had permanently messed up my body and that it was just going to be very limiting. This project normalizes it in a good way. Scars are just a part of life and something to be celebrated. You can’t have victory without a battle and these are my battle scars.”
The (re)markable project has now taken off with a whopping 400 Instagram followers. Considering the account has only been active for six months, it’s garnered a lot of traction. According to Statista, a website for social media data, 10.4 million Canadians were active on Instagram in 2018. With the rate at which (re)markable is garnering followers, the prospect of expanding the project’s recognition outside of Victoria is promising. Even now, Valiquette is being contacted by strangers, not just friends, to model for (re)markable: “They don’t know me but they have faith. They show up at my house even though they have no idea who will open the door when they get there.”
The photo shoots also don’t cost a dime, making them accessible to anyone.
“My grandpa asked me ‘why aren’t you accepting any payment?’” Valiquette said, “Because it’s empowering to people and I don’t ever want there to be a cost to empowerment. I don’t feel like I’m providing a service. I feel like I’m facilitating an experience.”
It’s evident that participants believe in SJ’s vision and the mission of the project. When asked if covering up scars had received backlash, Valiquette said,” I was really worried that people would interpret the message as covering scars with glitter was the only way to make them presentable because glitter is something that’s societally accepted as ‘pretty’—but that hasn’t been the case. People are finding it very empowering.”
Photo of Karin Saari, provided by the (re)markable project
Inclusivity on Set
Valiquette makes it her mission to capture diverse experiences of trauma. She frequently posts on social media to remind her followers that everyone is welcome to participate no matter what their story or who they are.
“One thing I find really special about (re)markable is the way SJ has made it so inclusive,” said local theatre director Karin Saari. “It’s not just about physical scars because there are some of us who have experienced issues with mental health in its various forms but don’t have any physical representation of that trauma. In some of the shoots SJ has done, people have put glitter in their hair to represent their anxiety or their compulsive thoughts or people have put glitter on their chest to represent sadness or depression that they’ve experienced. That to me is one of the most exciting things about (re)markable.”
Participants of the project also extend beyond human beings. Saari’s dog, George, showcased a cranium scar in his photo shoot that left him with a brain injury and PTSD. “He had been found beaten up very badly,” said Saari, “most likely by a person and who just dumped George in a junkyard.”
Saari decided to reach out to Valiquette about George participating: “He and SJ have a very strong connection; She is my go-to dog sitter. Plus, a part of me thought, ‘I’m uncomfortable being photographed but having George do it will allow me to participate in the project and simultaneously tell George’s story to a larger audience.’ The circumstances were also perfect: it took place in our house, the glitter she uses is safe for dogs, and George was fed tons of treats!”
Photo provided by the (re)markable project
Valiquette sources her glitter from Glitterlution and Light Mermaids, just to name a couple of brands. However, she has also received a recent glitter donation—a subtle nod of appreciation from her followers to keep going.
“I would describe SJ as somebody who makes you want to be better in a way that is kind and supportive but also really appropriately honest,” said Saari. “I’ve always felt like I can be very transparent with her. SJ has that indescribable quality to her that I can only describe as magic. She’s special… she’s ineffable.”
When asked if there was any particular story that had struck her, SJ said, “I had one person tell me that they had spent so much time learning to know and love their scars that this photo shoot felt like an opportunity to show the rest of the world how they felt about them.”
“Now my scar feels like a part of me,” said Holm. “It has freckles like the rest of my arms. I feel better about it now. It took two years but… I got there.”
“At the end of the day,” Holm continued, “when I first put glitter on my scar I didn’t think I was making a statement. And, at the base of (re)markable it’s a simple idea: you put biodegradable glitter on a mark on your body that wasn’t there with you on your first birthday. For family members, it’s huge to see that growth in a child’s acceptance of their body. That’s got to be very powerful.”
It’s clear that Valiquette takes this medium of storytelling seriously for people like Holm, Brougham, and even little George: “I feel lucky that I get to take part in this and that I’m so trusted with information. It’s impacted the way I intersect with people, listen and ask questions.”
When asked if she wanted this project to one day exist without her, as a movement that keeps on flourishing, SJ smiled: “I never thought about it before,” she said. “Yeah. I guess I do.”
Considerate, eloquent with her words, and warm, one leaves a conversation with SJ feeling empowered. Her vision and (re)markable act as a reminder that you don’t need an Instagram filter, Photoshop or eons of makeup to conceal your scars, because they’re worth celebrating. In fact, you don’t need anything at all for scars to sparkle—when people wear their scars with pride, they sparkle all on their own.
References
Miguel, E. M., Chou, T., Golik, A., Cornacchio, D., Sanchez, A. L., Deserisy, M., & Comer, J.S. (2017). Examining the scope and patterns of deliberate self-injuries cutting content in popular social media. Depression and Anxiety, 34(9), 786-793. Doi:10.1002/da.22668
Canada number of Instagram users 2017-2021 | Statistic. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2018, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/557495/number-instagram-users-canada/