Inquiry:
My inquiry, the drive of my art, is the oppression, sexualization, and exploitation of women in society. Women are constantly told what to wear, what not to wear, what to say, what not to say, when to speak up, and when to silence their voices. We are controlled like puppets, each part of our bodies hooked onto a string held by men. We are told to change our appearance to appeal more to men. To have slimmer bodies, but if we are too slim, then we are unhealthy. We have to be curvy to be seen as attractive, but not too curvy because then we are unhealthy. We should wear makeup, but not too miuch because then we are catfishing. We are often told to "Dress nicer," or "Wear less makeup," or to "Sit like a lady," and questioned about every little decision we make."Your'e really gonna eat all that? " Take better care of your body. "You're asking for it with that outfit."
I do not wish [women] to have power over men, but over themselves. - Mary Wollstonecraft (English writer & philosopher who advocated for women's rights)
Portfolio Ideas
- Selected Work 1: Woman trapped in a doll box, with a look of despair on her face as shes dressed in tiny clothes and a man reaches to grab the 18+ doll. This is a "mature" take on the well known barbie doll, and portrays a tot kid's love of a woman, being sexualized for the pleasure of men. I also want to also depict white lilies on the left side of the doll box because they represent purity and innocence that's slowly being taken/changed by men and society.
- Selected Work 2: I want to portray being controlled by puppet strings by a man. I was given the idea to add the Pope's ring to the man's hand to symbolize his beliefs and the Roe VS Wade case.
- Selected Work 3: Another idea for a piece I had was based on the concept of " the ideal body" for a woman. I would portray a woman, in somewhat of a Victorian style era, wearing a rib-crushing corset to appear skinnier. She would also have a face full of the toxic makeup filled with mercury and lead that they used to wear. She would be looking into a mirror and seeing her normal self. without the toxic chemicals on her face and without the bone -breaking piece of clothing. I also had the idea to represent her soul as a withered rose in the real-life part of my piece, and in her reflection as a full, live, healthy rose. This would show how, as she changes herself, shes slowly losing herself, her soul. want to display the idea of how women change their bodies to match society's expectations of "beautiful".
- Selected Work 4: I want to portray a mermaid, because even though mermaids are often used to symbolizeThe oppresion and sexualization of women, I feel I could dive deeper. If I don't end up portraying a mermaid, I would still portray a woman, sort of inspired by the piece ' Ophelia " by John Everett Millais. I don't have a very clear idea for imagery and composition, but I know I want to do something with a woman drowning but maybe using the drowning as a symbol or metaphor.
- Selected Work 5 :