These Striking Photos Turn Subway Vandalism Into Something Beautiful

Think vandalized subway posters can't double as art? Think again. Brooklyn-based artist and designer Lydia Cambron, who describes her work as "[revolving] around emotions, behaviors, and private space," is recreating gritty, graffiti-covered  advertisements in a wildly captivating (and creative) way: She's painting her face with makeup that mimics the doodles, seamlessly transforming defamation into beauty.

While the artist says that she originally didn't see her series, entitled Makeup Transit Authority (a cheeky play on the images' origin in the MTA), as commentary on the way society views and treats women, we can't help but glean some subtle messaging behind these defaced mugs. Click through to see the striking images, and weigh in with your own thoughts in the comments.