To represent my cultural identity, I decided to recreate a sketch by Louise Bourgeois, depicting a woman’s body hanging from a meat hook. I interpreted this piece through the lens of the societal constructs that affect women and people who identify as women. Coming from an ever-growing social media-centered society, comparing yourself to others is a given. Ever since I was little I have had this internalized notion that women have to act and look a certain way to be accepted into society. “Don’t wear revealing clothing, men will look at you. Don’t sleep around it makes you look bad. You wore that so it’s your fault. Don’t be a prude, being too innocent makes you look uptight.” And in most cases, if a woman acts outside of these constructs it could mean that their safety is at risk or they could be scrutinized by their community. Throughout my whole life, I feel as though I have been affected by culturally internalized ideas about women; how the female body is what matters and what is ultimately important in the eyes of our patriarchal society. Bourgeois’ piece resonated with me because I felt it represented the desensitized objectification of women in the media, and what growing up in such a surveilled and critical society feels like.
1. Brainstorm
First Attempt – (Concept: Using faces to capture the idealization of female beauty throughout different cultures)
Second (Final) Attempt – (Concept: Using abstracted body figures to convey the objectification of a woman’s body; hanging from a mobile type contraption to represent the way woman’s bodies are played with AND/OR hung from conveyer belt with hooks to communicate the perception of the mass-produced “ideal” female figure depicted in social media; circular mobile depicting a cycle of romanticized body types; subtracting the use of faces to show that the idealized female archetype is beloved/idolized because of their “perfect” figure)
2. Wire Drawing
Inspiration –
Louise Bourgeois, Hanging Figure, 2000
My Sketches –
3. Sculpting
Creating a mobile-like structure to support hanging bodies –
- Used copper 18 gauge wire
- Fashioned a bent loop-hole with wire to better attach to the wall with push pin
- Hand-twisted support beam from wall to create a more stabilized/thicker lever
- Fastened hanging body figures by coiling wire to mobile structure with 28 gauge wire
Progression of designing body figures in wire –
- Used 20 gauge aluminum gold wire
- Practiced creating body figure w/ one piece of wire to simulate line drawing effect
- Experimented w/ only having shoulders; ended with the addition of arms to make the figure more body-like
- Experimented w/ exaggerated body features; ended with subtle features to accentuate the delicateness of the female figure
- Experimented w/ different lengths of 28 gauge wire holding the bodies in place on the mobile; decided it resembled a mobile better by varying the segments of wire
4. Final Product
Shadow Effect –
