Title
Chimaera
Date of Award
Spring 5-16-2014
Author's School
Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts
Author's Department/Program
Art (Printmaking)
Degree Name
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
Abstract
In her thesis Chimaera, Charlotte Greenbaum uses the hybridization of women and animals in order to investigate mental illness through a feminist lens. The writings of feminist authors Melissa Briggs-Philips and Lynda Birke have helped to shape the theory behind Chimaera, while the work of artists Kim Marra, Kiki Smith, and Fay Ku has helped define the visual language of the piece. This research has led Greenbaum to create a two part work; the first being a large-scale installation that shows a group of female figures (silhouettes with human parts cut out of silver printed chipboard and animal parts cut out of black paper printed with a silver ink “fur” pattern) in various states of hybridization, while the second is an installation of furniture and various objects that are meant to create an imaginary analyst’s office. The human body is purposefully absent in the installation and is only represented via anonymous silhouettes on the wall as Greenbaum is concerned primarily with psychological impact. The work becomes a visual analysis that uses woman-animal hybridization as a feminist interpretation of modern diagnosis of mental illness.
Language
English (en)
Advisor/Committee Chair
Lisa Bulawsky
Advisor/Committee Chair's Department
Printmaking
Recommended Citation
Greenbaum, Charlotte E., "Chimaera" (2014). Undergraduate Theses—Restricted. 40.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/undergrad_honors/40