My AP Art & Design Portfolio
My AP Sustained Investigation is: “How can I convey female struggle and girlhood through painting and references to religious, mythological, and psychological phenomena”
"An Apple a Day"
Size: 16"x20"
Materials: Oil on Canvas
Process: Underpainting with terpenoid and oil paint, painted on top of once dry.
Inspiration: This piece is heavily inspired by Frida Kahlo's self-portraits. It features a girl with a cat perched on her shoulder and an apple hanging near her face. The black cat represents the Salem Witch Trials, and the apple references Eve's apple. To me, these two are more akin than one might think, specifically in women's history. During the Witch Trials, women were often suspected of witchcraft for various reasons, including; diverging from societal expectations and wanting to partake in roles that had been occupied by men. Similarly, Eve is seen as a villain for doing something that betrayed the expectations set for her by God, therefore disrupting Eden, and starting the fall of man. The inspiration from Kahlo can be seen in not only the inclusion of plants and animals, but also in the subject's facial expression. She is passive and looks directly at the viewer, pulling them in, and leaving her situation and emotions open to interpretation.
"Molded"
Size: 18"x20"
Materials: Oil on Canvas
Process:
Inspiration:
- told by others, society, media what we should look like
-beauty trends, have to keep up
-even starting at 12/13
-plastic surgery
This piece is representative of the beauty culture girls and women have been subjected to for centuries, but has been elevated by social media and easier access to cosmetic procedures. The hands pulling the subject's face are not her own, signifying her lack of autonomy when it comes to her physical appearance. Although self-image is internal, it is impacted by a multitude of influences such as parents, celebrities, and social media influencers. The hands are pulling and pushing back her face, implying the presence/ guidance of a plastic surgery consult. Her face is young and her expression is slightly resigned.
