Inspired by my turbulent relationship with self-image, my work focuses on the toxicity of beauty standards as well as the pressures that women endure to survive in a society that forces this unrealistic criteria.

 

At the first glance, my work shares bold colors that communicate with the senses; you can feel the sharpness of the cacti spines in image 7 and the scissors in image 1. Conceptually, my work provokes reflection by rawly displaying the beauty standards that place extreme pressure on women, including myself. To commit to this end, my portfolio begins with a self portrait exposing my most vulnerable state. I, too, have permitted society to affect how I think about myself. Confronting this fact in image 3 was the first step to retrace my path towards self-love. I then expanded my focus to the greater issue facing society: our preference for artificialness over natural beauty. Using plastic figures in images 8, 9, 10, 11 as a symbol for artificiality, I draw attention to how “beautiful” in today’s world is becoming synonymous to “fake”. I explore women’s day-to-day issues, from loss of identity to the struggle to regain youthfulness. By dramatizing these issues on canvas, I hope to inspire other young women to become the heroines that our society needs.