A few weeks ago my Visual Studies class went to Williams College to see the Posing Beauty in African American Culture exhibit. Delila Scrugs, who helped put together the exhibit, gave us a great tour. The exhibit features photos from African American artists commenting on how beauty in viewed. There were many great photos and artists represented, but one series of photographs stood out to me.
There was a series of photographs by Sheila Pree Bright that made you look twice. At first glance it looked like a bunch of photographs of Barbie’s, but as you looked closer you realized that something wasn’t right. Parts of the Barbie’s were real. In one image the Barbie has a human eye and mouth that make her look skewed and almost deformed. The picture is asking you if it’s really worth it to put in so much to look so perfect. In this image the beauty looks wrong. Being a bit of a feminist, and not a huge fan of Barbie’s (yes, I owned two, but they went on adventures with dragon beanie babies and fought evil), I loved seeing how the real and the fake contrasted, but also worked together. Another is the back of a Barbie with real dreadlocks. You can see the label and you get the sense this represents people being labeled as well. One of the photographs is just of a Barbie, but she looks tired and old. Her eyes droop and she’s missing an earring. She also has one brown spot on her perfect skin. It’s almost like she’s tired of being perfectly beautiful, and doesn’t mind the blemishes and imperfections.
Unfortunately this show is no longer at Williams College, but it is traveling. I encourage you to look it up and see where it’s heading next. There’s also a book you can buy if you really like it.
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