Date of Award

5-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art

Department

Art

First Reader/Committee Chair

Alison Petty Ragguette

Abstract

“I do my hair toss check my nails, baby how you feeling? Feeling good as hell”– Lizzo, “Good as Hell”, Cuz I Love You, 2019.

My work is about self-acceptance and body positivity. I am learning to love and accept my own body and channel this personal growth into my ceramics.

Reacting to media images of celebrity culture and the movement of fabric in Couture runway fashion shows, I am deeply impacted by contemporary American beauty ideals. Utilizing Hip-hop’s cultural messages of defiance and historical platform for presenting underrepresented voices, song titles and slang become titles for my work, in order to be assertive. My sculptures mimic parts of my body, through folds and undulations. Stains and under-glazes allow me to bring in my fashion inspired print and fabric surfaces. Gold luster is used to symbolically reference high self-confidence as well as the great monetary value society places on wealth and status, especially as seen through Hip-Hop’s cultural underpinnings.

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