“My idea was, instead of a ‘dinner party’, to create a ‘cook book’- including cakes resembling lady parts and women eating them. The purpose of this is to lessen the fear of ‘weird’ looking genitals and the idea of hiding your body away and being afraid of it- not unlike the way women are told to hide their bodies to prevent rape.”
I came across Georgia Grace Gibson’s artwork not very long ago, and at first glance I had the impression that she was a, much older, professional artist. After reading about just how young she is (approx. 18 years old) I was not only shocked but also extremely relieved that a young woman was dealing with such relevant and important issues within her work. However, there is really no reason to underestimate teenagers today, when in fact I deal with more sexism and outright revolting behaviour from people over forty.
Inspired by Judy Chicago’s 1979 installation The Dinner Party, these works in particular grabbed me because of how visceral and completely gorgeous they are aesthetically, as well the fact that they hold such a positive message. Body image issues are more relevant today than ever, and most definitely affect men just as much as women. However, though initially these photographs appear to concentrate on positive body image, you begin to pick up on many other themes; women creating (baking) vaginas, women creating (decorating) the form of vaginas, and finally women eating vaginas. The work screams power, energy and vitality. They urge you to be who you are, and not who you are told to be. Also, we taste great!
ANNA
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