Body Image Ramble...

[xakara]

Beyond my intense love of words, I am a very visual creature and I love art of all types. Not a single cell in my body is a snob about art, I like what I like and don't judge what doesn't speak to me. Being non-judgemental on art means I'm not offended by artistic reimaging of classics that have cultural significance to the modern age. For example Da Vinci's Last Supper done with an African-American cast or Botticelli's Venus with a feminist slant. I understand where the artist are going with these images and why they wanted to take me along.

In opposition, my Zen vibe is completely disturbed by the reproduction companies reimaging classics to fit the current runway model, youth/weight obsessed culture of the day. (Below "Venus with Apple" and "Birth of Venus" with the originals on the right)





They turned normal-bodied, healthy images of feminine beauty into pubescent girls. It would take me six hours to touch on everything wrong with this, from the inherent message that the original images aren't good enough because they aren't thin enough or young enough; to the inherent sexualization of young girls when their bodies are elevated to a false womanhood by the message that the above is how mature woman should look. (And therefore, young girls who look like this should be ready to take on adult female responsibility and sexual function)

Here's another blog on the topic by Daphne Winnabago where I learned of these particular images. In her follow-up she speaks to the solution to these type of things and I agree with her. It's not enough to complain or feel outraged, we have to also support those companies promoting body positive images in art and other media.

Okay, my part of the ramble is done, but feel free to throw in your two cents and ramble on as well.

"Body Positive Ramble" Done

~X