one of the major reasons i love art (and why i write this blog) is for the very fact that art moves me. whether it is amazingly beautiful or god awful or just plain disturbing. art almost always elicits some sort of a response w/in my visceral, emotional being and if it's done a really good job, my cerebral, thinking side as well. it gets me talking, thinking, wanting to discuss w/ those around me. pinar yolacan's exhibit maria has done that to me recently.
maria, is a group of 22 photographs of afro-brazilian women dressed in clothing made by pinar and inspired by local architecture. however, not all the fabric is man made, each woman is outfitted somehow in animal flesh, placenta to be exact and it blends in almost perfectly w/ the effervescent velvet. the photos are equally stunning as they are disturbing.
i've become really enthralled w/ this exhibit. many things come up for me as i look at the photographs online, subjects such as race, class, beauty and fashion are amongst some. the women themselves are from itaparica, bahia, an island off of brazil, not far from one of the biggest slave ports in the world. you can read the press release here to read in pinar's own words her inspirations. her ideas behind it are all very interesting. i'd love to hear what others think on this exhibit.
rivington arms has extended the show through january 10th. i hope to get down to nyc to see it. i am really interested in experiencing the photographs in person. they are quite large and i imagine really demand one's attention.
** all images used courtesy of the artist and rivington arms.
