Birth Of
Digitally edited image printed on silk. This work is a comment on the portrayal of women throughout history with 'ideal woman' that has changed dramatically and has been depicted through artwork and media. These trends in body size and skin colour are things that are largely out of our control as women, and leads to women being disposable in society. A depiction of perfect femininity is Sandro Botticelli's Birth of Venus. This painting holds a pale, blonde, slender woman posing naked on the sea shore. Women with fat bodies are rarely celebrated in a society that strives for perfection. Diet culture is so ingrained in us from young ages- we want large breasts and round bottoms to appeal to the male gaze. Here, Thantrey places herself, a fat, South Asian woman, in the painting to celebrate her body and to encourage love and positivity towards diverse bodies, as well as challenging the narrative that is forced upon us as women. Leaving the name open, Birth Of is is open for all women to place themselves into and celebrate their bodies without filters and censorship. The artist explored other avenues, including her own names e.g. Birth of Fathima or Birth of Yasmeen, as these are two strong women within Islamic history, and would be a homage to them and their significance in the faith (which may often be overshadowed), however was aware that due to the nudity, this may be interpreted negatively, with offence, and this work is not a comment on faith, but more society as a whole and the western ideologies that women of colour are exposed to.
Birth Of
Digitally edited image printed on silk. This work is a comment on the portrayal of women throughout history with 'ideal woman' that has changed dramatically and has been depicted through artwork and media. These trends in body size and skin colour are things that are largely out of our control as women, and leads to women being disposable in society. A depiction of perfect femininity is Sandro Botticelli's Birth of Venus. This painting holds a pale, blonde, slender woman posing naked on the sea shore. Women with fat bodies are rarely celebrated in a society that strives for perfection. Diet culture is so ingrained in us from young ages- we want large breasts and round bottoms to appeal to the male gaze. Here, Thantrey places herself, a fat, South Asian woman, in the painting to celebrate her body and to encourage love and positivity towards diverse bodies, as well as challenging the narrative that is forced upon us as women. Leaving the name open, Birth Of is is open for all women to place themselves into and celebrate their bodies without filters and censorship. The artist explored other avenues, including her own names e.g. Birth of Fathima or Birth of Yasmeen, as these are two strong women within Islamic history, and would be a homage to them and their significance in the faith (which may often be overshadowed), however was aware that due to the nudity, this may be interpreted negatively, with offence, and this work is not a comment on faith, but more society as a whole and the western ideologies that women of colour are exposed to.