Oranges and Lemons
A nude woman lies in the vegetation, amongst the fauna, amidst greens of all shades, textures and the brightest of acrylic paints.
“Contemporary images of Eve are definitional for women. Indeed, in contemporary Western culture the name `Eve' has come to be synonymous with woman. How Eve is seen is how women are seen, and her body is the site of her meaning, her power. In other words, Eve's body, as it is portrayed in popular culture, represents the collective bodies of women so that her image in advertising is a reflection of how women are viewed and how they should view themselves, as is illustrated in advertising images. The archetypal image of the sexual temptress who proffers fruit to a bewildered-looking male and the pseudo-sinister sexual allure of the woman/snake conflation are used in contemporary culture as evidence of women's potent sexual allure. The popular ideology of postfeminist advertising suggests that the ability to attract the opposite sex allows women to obtain power and, the advertisers would have us believe, independence through their devastating effect on men.” (Katie Edwards, 2008)
As Edwards highlighted, the image of Eve as sexual temptress has not changed but rather remains constant.
My painting does something different. It challenges the predominant popular cultural image of Eve born from biblical text, and asks us to look at her again, outside of how the biblical text lends itself to appropriation by those who wish to exploit Eve's cultural meanings.
Eve, here, is you, and me, and all other young woman whose bodies are bodies from which we grow into, as the fauna and flora do around us.
There is a sense of an ongoing appeal of Eve as a cultural symbol here, and not a sex symbol, or sexual temptress. There is an act of growth, of being with, and under, and being free to be.
Being free to grow
to contemplate
to adorn
against
the green
plentiful
lush
green
landscape.
Materials:
Golden acrylic paints for the most saturated and vibrant colours.
A nude woman lies in the vegetation, amongst the fauna, amidst greens of all shades, textures and the brightest of acrylic paints.
“Contemporary images of Eve are definitional for women. Indeed, in contemporary Western culture the name `Eve' has come to be synonymous with woman. How Eve is seen is how women are seen, and her body is the site of her meaning, her power. In other words, Eve's body, as it is portrayed in popular culture, represents the collective bodies of women so that her image in advertising is a reflection of how women are viewed and how they should view themselves, as is illustrated in advertising images. The archetypal image of the sexual temptress who proffers fruit to a bewildered-looking male and the pseudo-sinister sexual allure of the woman/snake conflation are used in contemporary culture as evidence of women's potent sexual allure. The popular ideology of postfeminist advertising suggests that the ability to attract the opposite sex allows women to obtain power and, the advertisers would have us believe, independence through their devastating effect on men.” (Katie Edwards, 2008)
As Edwards highlighted, the image of Eve as sexual temptress has not changed but rather remains constant.
My painting does something different. It challenges the predominant popular cultural image of Eve born from biblical text, and asks us to look at her again, outside of how the biblical text lends itself to appropriation by those who wish to exploit Eve's cultural meanings.
Eve, here, is you, and me, and all other young woman whose bodies are bodies from which we grow into, as the fauna and flora do around us.
There is a sense of an ongoing appeal of Eve as a cultural symbol here, and not a sex symbol, or sexual temptress. There is an act of growth, of being with, and under, and being free to be.
Being free to grow
to contemplate
to adorn
against
the green
plentiful
lush
green
landscape.
Materials:
Golden acrylic paints for the most saturated and vibrant colours.
A nude woman lies in the vegetation, amongst the fauna, amidst greens of all shades, textures and the brightest of acrylic paints.
“Contemporary images of Eve are definitional for women. Indeed, in contemporary Western culture the name `Eve' has come to be synonymous with woman. How Eve is seen is how women are seen, and her body is the site of her meaning, her power. In other words, Eve's body, as it is portrayed in popular culture, represents the collective bodies of women so that her image in advertising is a reflection of how women are viewed and how they should view themselves, as is illustrated in advertising images. The archetypal image of the sexual temptress who proffers fruit to a bewildered-looking male and the pseudo-sinister sexual allure of the woman/snake conflation are used in contemporary culture as evidence of women's potent sexual allure. The popular ideology of postfeminist advertising suggests that the ability to attract the opposite sex allows women to obtain power and, the advertisers would have us believe, independence through their devastating effect on men.” (Katie Edwards, 2008)
As Edwards highlighted, the image of Eve as sexual temptress has not changed but rather remains constant.
My painting does something different. It challenges the predominant popular cultural image of Eve born from biblical text, and asks us to look at her again, outside of how the biblical text lends itself to appropriation by those who wish to exploit Eve's cultural meanings.
Eve, here, is you, and me, and all other young woman whose bodies are bodies from which we grow into, as the fauna and flora do around us.
There is a sense of an ongoing appeal of Eve as a cultural symbol here, and not a sex symbol, or sexual temptress. There is an act of growth, of being with, and under, and being free to be.
Being free to grow
to contemplate
to adorn
against
the green
plentiful
lush
green
landscape.
Materials:
Golden acrylic paints for the most saturated and vibrant colours.