Tuesday 11 October 2016

Monster / Beauty Theory - Joanna Frueh

‘Monster/beauty is a condition, and it can also describe an individual. Because extremity is immoderation—deviation from convention in behavior, appearance, or representation—and starkly different from standard cultural expectations for particular groups of people, monster/beauty departs radically from normative, ideals representations of beauty….Monster/beauty is artifice, pleasure/discipline, cultural invention, and it is extravagant and generous’  (Buzsek, 3).

I understand this as that there is a beauty ideal in society, and anything differentiating from this ideal, from the norm, still conveys beauty but not in a 'typical' way - it fits into the monster/beauty condition. I think this relates to themes in Jacki Wilson's book 'Being Gorgeous' about visual pleasure not being equal to ideal beauty, in a way. Something holding monster/beauty is still visually pleasurable but doesn't fit within society's ideals of whatever it is. Frueh writes about female bodybuilders possessing monster/beauty, their muscled physique does not adhere to the social norm of the ideal female body, but that is not to say they are not beautiful, or that one does not get visual pleasure from looking at them. It's all about the breaking of 'norms'. 

http://lachristagreco.com/lachrista-greco-1/2011/08/18/is-the-pin-up-feminist

This article writes of this contemporary pin-up of Beth Ditto -  "The more "modern" pin-up of Beth Ditto is also subverting cultural norms and expectations. Ditto is a large woman, both in size and personality, and has been a fierce advocate for the body-positive movement. Because of her size, the pin-up image of her is subverting the societal norm of "skinny" and size 0 models. In the image, Ditto drapes herself over a chair, exuding confidence and sexuality."


I find this image appealing as it is modern and illustrative, using Ditto as a reference but ultimately being a drawing. As Ditto is a real person her consent and agency imbues the image. Can a similar effect be created without a real model to work from?

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