BFA Senior Show
May 2011
Loyola University New Orleans
May 2011
Loyola University New Orleans
For this show, I explored the topic of body image and the female form. I am inspiredby my own frustrations at the social pressure society exerts to fit into acertain stereotype of what it is to be a woman. Growing up, I was neveraccepting of my body. Hating what I looked like, my body made me feel like afailure. The work reflects my journey to my acceptance of my body. A large partof this journey was learning to objectively appreciate the female body as form,thus the formal aspects and anatomy of the female body greatly influence mywork. Being able to view my body objectively as well as personally is animportant part of my process. By using close-ups and details as a way ofabstracting the body I am able to view it objectively in terms of form, texture,and color. Marks on the body, such as scars, beauty marks, and birthmarks, thatare unique to an individual inspire me; they are identifiers, very personal,and often overlooked. I would like to explore extremes when it comes to bodyimage. I want my audience to feel the power that comes with confidence and theembarrassment that comes with not feeling accepted. I think of myself as afeminist, and I am inspired by feminist artists who explore the female form.
Pain & Beauty (2011)
10” x 8” book of 16 digital photographs and research data
Available for viewing at www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2087505
This piece is a collection of digital photographs thataddress the different pains or discomforts associated with certainbeautification processes. It is an attempt to draw attention to the effort somewomen go to in order to appear ‘beautiful’ by our society’s standards, often atthe risk of physical pain and harmful long term effects.
10” x 8” book of 16 digital photographs and research data
Available for viewing at www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2087505
This piece is a collection of digital photographs thataddress the different pains or discomforts associated with certainbeautification processes. It is an attempt to draw attention to the effort somewomen go to in order to appear ‘beautiful’ by our society’s standards, often atthe risk of physical pain and harmful long term effects.
WhiteSkin Series (of 3)
White Skin in 49 o (2011) White Skin (2011) White Skin in October (2010)
20” x 20” digital print 20” x20” digital print 20” x 20”digital print
Photos taken 2/5/11 Photostaken 4/8/11 Photos taken10/15/10
in sunlight and shade in consistent light in sunlight, indoor, andshade
This series emphasizes different colors within my skin andthe effects of lighting and temperature on the perceived color of skin. It deals with the issueof diversity within one person and the concept of skin color generalizations.
White Skin in 49 o (2011) White Skin (2011) White Skin in October (2010)
20” x 20” digital print 20” x20” digital print 20” x 20”digital print
Photos taken 2/5/11 Photostaken 4/8/11 Photos taken10/15/10
in sunlight and shade in consistent light in sunlight, indoor, andshade
This series emphasizes different colors within my skin andthe effects of lighting and temperature on the perceived color of skin. It deals with the issueof diversity within one person and the concept of skin color generalizations.
Obscene Business Cards (2011)
1.5” buttons of 10 submitted images; 225 total
This piece deals with the perceived obscenity of the female nipple. Although the male nipple and the female nipple are essentially the same thing, there are many laws regulating the exposure of only the female nipple. These buttons allow viewers, both male and female, to express their appreciation for the female nipple. There are ten different nipples in this collection. They reflect diversity through race, piercings, size, etc. One of the ten nipples is even inverted (reflecting statistics).
1.5” buttons of 10 submitted images; 225 total
This piece deals with the perceived obscenity of the female nipple. Although the male nipple and the female nipple are essentially the same thing, there are many laws regulating the exposure of only the female nipple. These buttons allow viewers, both male and female, to express their appreciation for the female nipple. There are ten different nipples in this collection. They reflect diversity through race, piercings, size, etc. One of the ten nipples is even inverted (reflecting statistics).
Hate to Love Series (of 5) 2010
20” x 16” digital print
Each image in this set of 5 is a digital photo takenof me in an unflattering position, emphasizing fat, cellulite, and other thingsdeemed unattractive by society. I thencropped them and digitally altered them, darkening and softening to make themmysterious, inviting, and sensual. These images highlight parts of my body thatI do not like or that I feel uncomfortable with and are part of an ongoingprocess to accept my body the way it is.
20” x 16” digital print
Each image in this set of 5 is a digital photo takenof me in an unflattering position, emphasizing fat, cellulite, and other thingsdeemed unattractive by society. I thencropped them and digitally altered them, darkening and softening to make themmysterious, inviting, and sensual. These images highlight parts of my body thatI do not like or that I feel uncomfortable with and are part of an ongoingprocess to accept my body the way it is.
Love to Hate Series (of 5) 2010
20” x 16” digital print
Each image in this set of 5 is a digital photo taken of me in aseductive or aesthetically pleasing position, then cropped and digitallyaltered each image to create a more repulsive image. The purpose of these twoseries is to reverse the roles of pleasant and unpleasant, attractive andgrotesque and to draw attention to the ease of fluidity between the twoopposites.
20” x 16” digital print
Each image in this set of 5 is a digital photo taken of me in aseductive or aesthetically pleasing position, then cropped and digitallyaltered each image to create a more repulsive image. The purpose of these twoseries is to reverse the roles of pleasant and unpleasant, attractive andgrotesque and to draw attention to the ease of fluidity between the twoopposites.
Must Be Skinny (2011)
20” x 16” digital photograph;
mother’s wedding corset, alphabet cookie cutters
This piece is a digital photograph juxtaposed with a sculpture. Inside the corset I have sewn alphabet cookie cutters tospell out “must be skinny.” The words were imprinted onto my skin and took over72 hours to disappear completely. This piece addresses the absurd lengths somewomen go to in order to leek “beautiful” according to society’s standards.Driven to desperation, some women resort to starvation diets, over exercising,or eating disorders, all of which can be health hazards. Waist trainingcorsets, although uncommon, are still used today. If used properly, over timethey force your organs together and up into the rib cage, permanently alteringyour body and causing several serious health problems.
20” x 16” digital photograph;
mother’s wedding corset, alphabet cookie cutters
This piece is a digital photograph juxtaposed with a sculpture. Inside the corset I have sewn alphabet cookie cutters tospell out “must be skinny.” The words were imprinted onto my skin and took over72 hours to disappear completely. This piece addresses the absurd lengths somewomen go to in order to leek “beautiful” according to society’s standards.Driven to desperation, some women resort to starvation diets, over exercising,or eating disorders, all of which can be health hazards. Waist trainingcorsets, although uncommon, are still used today. If used properly, over timethey force your organs together and up into the rib cage, permanently alteringyour body and causing several serious health problems.
This is My Body (2011)
7” x 7” book of 37 digital photographs
Available for viewing at www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1990602
This is a 40 page digital image book titled “This is mybody: which will be given up for you.” The book is dedicated to my body,specifically my skin. The purpose of this book is to share my body, and all itsimperfections, in the hope that the viewer can take from it a betterunderstanding of me and appreciate parts of the body that are usually unnoticedor unseen. It is meant to raise questions about the nature of imperfection.
7” x 7” book of 37 digital photographs
Available for viewing at www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1990602
This is a 40 page digital image book titled “This is mybody: which will be given up for you.” The book is dedicated to my body,specifically my skin. The purpose of this book is to share my body, and all itsimperfections, in the hope that the viewer can take from it a betterunderstanding of me and appreciate parts of the body that are usually unnoticedor unseen. It is meant to raise questions about the nature of imperfection.
