Critics, philosophers, and theoreticians have stated that, during a recession, artists can return to fundamentals: branding, art market booms, and the constant cycle of the same artists being exhibited can finally come to a halt. In the past three years we have seen a return to Pop art, photo realism, and Conceptual art that have proved successful, yet don’t bring anything new to the table ideologically. Debbie Han not only captures the magnificence of Classical aesthetic beauty that the likes of Kant and Hegel would concur upon, but adds a new dimension of contemporary and Post-Modern ideals for the viewer to sink their teeth into.
Han’s images of present-day Asian women’s bodies attached to classical western goddess heads combines the Orient with the Occident and opens a dialogue on Orientalism; Feminism; the Sublime; Beauty; authenticity; propriety; and perception. Each figure, digitally rendered to the perfection of a marble statue appears seamless, virginal, and flawless, and yet the viewer somehow feels as though these women have a secret amongst themselves and each other – laughing at you for not being their ideal of perfection. “Secretive Graces” pictures the busts of three women whispering to each other: “what do you think of these people passing by?” “Look at these gallery-goers who are so consumed with the need for consumption,” “Watch them stare at us in their ignorance of our oppositional gaze,” “The men watch us phallocularly but we have them fooled, don’t we girls?”
Han’s images of present-day Asian women’s bodies attached to classical western goddess heads combines the Orient with the Occident and opens a dialogue on Orientalism; Feminism; the Sublime; Beauty; authenticity; propriety; and perception. Each figure, digitally rendered to the perfection of a marble statue appears seamless, virginal, and flawless, and yet the viewer somehow feels as though these women have a secret amongst themselves and each other – laughing at you for not being their ideal of perfection. “Secretive Graces” pictures the busts of three women whispering to each other: “what do you think of these people passing by?” “Look at these gallery-goers who are so consumed with the need for consumption,” “Watch them stare at us in their ignorance of our oppositional gaze,” “The men watch us phallocularly but we have them fooled, don’t we girls?”
No comments:
Post a Comment