Stretch_rose / Privat collection / Russia

2019

160*100 cm

Oil, acrylic on canvas

Stretch_gold

2019

140*100 cm 4 parts

Oil, acrylic, gold leaf on canvas, wooden frame

Concept:

Culture generates a great number of social myths, one of the most widely-known among them is the beauty myth. It starts developing at an early age: from fairytales, a child discovers that charming characters always conquer and ugly characters fail. Cartoons, cinematography, advertisements, and magazines anchor beauty, femininity, and masculinity consumptions in human minds at each stage of socialization. Social networks filled with retouched photos of “perfect” people facilitate the process of putting natural beauty into the frames of its aesthetic perception. The appearance which fits the conventionally accepted beauty standards turns to an integral attribute of social status. No matter what a person’s professional qualities are, society will always put his/her appearance first.

Statistics show that beauty standards are much higher for women in comparison with men. Public opinion pressure is like a golden staylace that leaves marks on females’ bodies tightening them and squeezing their beauty. Gold leaf used for creating the painting has a bright glossy surface, in which, like in a mirror, a spectatress can see her reflection and question her situation. Has she fallen into this trap?