Measured by a Mirror

This oil painting explores the crippling pressures faced by women when it comes to their appearance. The patriarchy conditions women to fixate on how they look, dress, and present themselves to an extent that it has been normalized, glamorized, and romanticized. The painting depicts a dressing room of a modeling show, and delves into the pressure models face to look a certain way. We've all seen the glamorous façade of the modeling world, but behind the scenes, lurks a darker tale. This piece showcases women fervently measuring their waists and incessantly coloring their hair, symbolizing how their self-worth depends upon being measured by a mirror. I was inspired by Beyonce’s “Pretty Hurts” and the Bollywood movie Fashion, both of which reveal the dark underbelly of pageantry and the fashion industry.