Date of Award
5-2015
Author's School
Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts
Author's Department/Program
Art (Painting)
Degree Name
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
Abstract
My work largely addresses the close-minded Western ideals of the human body, particularly those related to females. Stemming from struggles with my own sense of security, I strive to create accessible works of art that both challenge and expand these ideals by representing figural imagery beyond such social constraints. Though my works may seem to serve the purpose of mockery at first, the urgency of the issues portrayed becomes apparent as the pieces are studied more carefully. I explore how exposure, vulnerability, grotesqueness, and intimacy within my work serve as a means to expand our cultural ideals for the human body.
I investigate a multitude of dualities in two dimensional forms by using oil paints, image transfers, and digital imagery. My work dances on the line between repulsion and fascination. I am also intrigued by the differences between the representation of the male nude and that of the female nude. In addition, I establish moments in which vulnerability and strength function simultaneously within the same pieces.
Language
English (en)
Recommended Citation
Perkins, Elizabeth J., "The Representation of Non-Traditional Bodies" (2015). Undergraduate Theses—Unrestricted. 40.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/undergrad_open/40