STATEMENT

"Women are the only exploited group in history to have been idealized into powerlessness." Erica Jong

Inspiration comes from within, but also has external and random influences. We live in a world, which is the medium of our existence. We cannot separate ourselves from that world. We are bombarded by ideas, observations, social phenomena, and we absorb it all on some level. Themes can surface at any point, and not necessarily with an intention. Objectification illustrates this perfectly as it is impossible to avoid: it is all over the place. The objectification process dehumanizes, making horrific acts easier to execute. Technology aids and abets this process by physically separating us. Treating people as objects ultimately causes pain. Beauty with intelligence is not that well accepted, particularly in women. Society tells us, “You’ve come a long way baby,” and in terms of participation and prospects it is true; yet examining media images of women calls this into question. There is no problem with sex appeal, youth, beauty; Women cannot be separated from desire; but when that becomes their sum total worth, it skews the reality underlying the perception, and their potential can never be fulfilled. And after all “women hold up half the sky.”*

I have doodled and sketched this figure for years – sort of on the side from my painting. Then I saw how she connected to feelings I had about objectification, desire, beauty, youth, and how society values and portrays women and young girls, and the paintings came in that context.

*“Nu ren ban bian tian.” Chinese proverb