One of the
most intriguing artists I have researched is Orlan. She is definitely a one of
a kind artist who took her art to a new frightening level. During the course of
1990-1995 she underwent 9 plastic surgery operations to alter and imitate her
facial features of influential women in famous paintings. The most noticeable
surgery she received are the implants on either side of her forehead that are
supposed to mimic the Mona Lisa’s prominent forehead. Most critics call them
“demon horns” as they are unnatural and very strange. However, in response to
her critics she accentuates them by putting glitter and drawing more attention
to her “demon horns”. This small action speaks volumes to me because instead of
shunning things that aren’t’ necessarily beautiful in society’s idea of beauty
she glorifies them. I appreciate her
work as a radical artist and her message about feminism, religion, sexuality,
& DNA. Instead of going the tradional route and painting a woman’s
genitalia she decided to alter her body in order to get her message across.
When I first came to school I was not a big fan of artists who took their ideas
to the extreme as Orlan has but as my time here has gone on I have opened up my
mind to new ideas and fully realized arts importance in society. I’ve fully
realized that art is so much more than beautiful paintings on a wall and great
art is art that has a strong stance in something bigger and being able to
execute it correctly in order to get their point across. I probably have realized
this later than my peers but at least I got here.
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