Artwork description: Within this work I blurred the lines between prop, performance, and artifact. I used Venetian glass blowing techniques to create a trophy for women. it is a comparison to human society and how we are very opposite in the way women are expected to behave. I wanted to “super-size” the male mantis leg as a remnant and trophy to signify female dominance with a humorous tone, reclaiming our power to speak up and take action for ourselves.The piece performs femininity, express identity, critiquing cultural norms.
Artwork description long: Within this work, I blur the lines between prop, performance, and artifact. I use Venetian glassblowing techniques to create craft objects that celebrate women. I made this object feminine in form, bright in color, oversized, and applied other craft materials, like metal and wood, to create a large presence and humorous approach. I created a humorous, scandalous photo of myself accompanied by the outrageous props I crafted in glass to capture the essence of the piece. The piece performs femininity, expresses identity, and critiques cultural norms. The praying mantis is a fantastic creature that is oftentimes a motif for feminism. Praying mantises perform sexual cannibalism. The female mantis will catch the male mantis with her front legs after sexual intercourse and eat the head of the mantis. The female does this to ensure nutrients immediately for her offspring. She has efficient maternal instincts, as it is her main priority to keep her body adequate for birthing. Decapitating the male removes the inhibitors in the brain that slow down the process of mating, making the male work more efficiently during mating. That being said, sexual cannibalism does not always occur unless the female thinks it is necessary for her body and her offspring. Though this analogy is extreme, it is a comparison to human society and how we are very opposite in the way women are expected to behave. I wanted to “super-size” the male mantis leg as a remnant and trophy to signify female dominance with a humorous tone, reclaiming our power to speak up and take action for ourselves.
Artwork description long: Within this work, I blur the lines between prop, performance, and artifact. I use Venetian glassblowing techniques to create craft objects that celebrate women. I made this object feminine in form, bright in color, oversized, and applied other craft materials, like metal and wood, to create a large presence and humorous approach. I created a humorous, scandalous photo of myself accompanied by the outrageous props I crafted in glass to capture the essence of the piece. The piece performs femininity, expresses identity, and critiques cultural norms. The praying mantis is a fantastic creature that is oftentimes a motif for feminism. Praying mantises perform sexual cannibalism. The female mantis will catch the male mantis with her front legs after sexual intercourse and eat the head of the mantis. The female does this to ensure nutrients immediately for her offspring. She has efficient maternal instincts, as it is her main priority to keep her body adequate for birthing. Decapitating the male removes the inhibitors in the brain that slow down the process of mating, making the male work more efficiently during mating. That being said, sexual cannibalism does not always occur unless the female thinks it is necessary for her body and her offspring. Though this analogy is extreme, it is a comparison to human society and how we are very opposite in the way women are expected to behave. I wanted to “super-size” the male mantis leg as a remnant and trophy to signify female dominance with a humorous tone, reclaiming our power to speak up and take action for ourselves.