Sunday 27 November 2011

Update

So I have this website now, it's semi professional, in the process of being made better in it's own domain and designed by a professional rather than a free template, also by having my information completed and revised so it is super lovely and well written for grad school applications. I've got some artist statements up with my work and later today or tomorrow I'm hoping to have revised my statement of intent, kind of like a mission statement as to what my work is about and what I am doing with it. This blog is mainly to document what I've found and where I'm going, how my work is changing as it progresses and things get added to it.

For example, at first my work was just about loving your body, having a better self image and feeling good about yourself. Then it developed into a critique of the media and what they portray as ideal and try to brainwash us with and shove down our throats (my prof says I need to be more active in my writing and not keep accusing the media, I have to state what they are doing actively, also I'm not allowed to really say "we" or "our" in case that is too general and I offend someone, but I'd assume people are smart enough to know that if they don't agree with what I'm saying in the "we" voice then to just brush it off and not throw a tantrum. But such is life). Now it's becoming an issue dealing with cosmetic surgeries and things. I want to eliminate eating disorders and self loathing and making yourself some kind of plastic "perfection."

I am anti cosmetic surgery, anti eating disorder, anti fad diets, anti airbrushing and manipulations, anti "women need to be blond, skinny, no grey hair, no wrinkles, white teeth, men need to be ripped and muscular" etc etc. I am pro natural, pro eating healthy, pro living a healthy lifestyle, pro indulgent snacking (just not over indulgent), pro letting yourself age, gracefully or otherwise.As long as you're healthy then eat whatever you like, stay active, eat chocolate, have pizza and a few beers with friends, let your gray hair show, get wrinkles, save your money for important things rather than waste it getting botoxed and lipoed and lip plumped. Ew. That's not normal or natural and it certainly isn't beautiful. Don't get me wrong, there are certain times when certain surgeries are beneficial and I'm fully supportive of that and there are certain situations when surgery is the only way to "fix" something so yes, then go for it. But don't do it because you're unhappy with who you are because the media (or someone in your life being an asshole) tells you to. Embrace your body and love it for its imperfections because that's what makes you beautiful and unique.

Oh right, my website is www.stephanieanneallen.weebly.com

Friday 25 November 2011

Introduction

I'm working on a major project about body image and what people feel is the ideal body type. I'm challenging what the media tells us and hoping to change the body "ideal" they accost us with wherever we go.


More on this later....