Reinventing the Myth of “The Body Beautiful”
I look around me, and all I see are artists, media, advertising, etc, reinforcing this idea that unless I go to the gym and get all these big rippling overblown muscles that I am not desirable as a person. That message has permeated our whole society. Even the photographers who are at the top of the mainstream use heavily muscled men, most with next to no body or facial hair, if any at all. I had always believed that art is not supposed to reflect society, but change the way it thinks. If that is the case, why then are so many of today’s “popular” photographers mirroring society, rather than pointing out its problems? Why, why, WHY??? I suppose that part of the problem lies with the public. We continue to buy into the myth. We let the advertising agencies and the gyms and everyone else play on our guilt. We do physical and psychological damage to ourselves trying to look like these people. Is it any wonder why eating disorders of all types continue to climb?
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
Do not buy into the myth any longer. Stand up and say “screw you” to the advertisers and the gyms, and all the businesses, and the artists that are telling you that you look bad. My models are all 10-15 pounds underweight to 10-15 pounds overweight, and so what? Many have body and/or facial hair. So what? They look great as the subject of art.
Surprise!
Now, I am not foolish enough to think that a change in our culture will happen overnight. I am not even sure if it will happen in my lifetime. But you know what? My models “get it”. My fans “get it”. People are responding, people are thinking, people are growing. Little by little, we’re taking back control.
Think for yourselves, it’s incredibly freeing. Cause change, it’s incredibly empowering.
Pass it on!
I look around me, and all I see are artists, media, advertising, etc, reinforcing this idea that unless I go to the gym and get all these big rippling overblown muscles that I am not desirable as a person. That message has permeated our whole society. Even the photographers who are at the top of the mainstream use heavily muscled men, most with next to no body or facial hair, if any at all. I had always believed that art is not supposed to reflect society, but change the way it thinks. If that is the case, why then are so many of today’s “popular” photographers mirroring society, rather than pointing out its problems? Why, why, WHY??? I suppose that part of the problem lies with the public. We continue to buy into the myth. We let the advertising agencies and the gyms and everyone else play on our guilt. We do physical and psychological damage to ourselves trying to look like these people. Is it any wonder why eating disorders of all types continue to climb?
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
Do not buy into the myth any longer. Stand up and say “screw you” to the advertisers and the gyms, and all the businesses, and the artists that are telling you that you look bad. My models are all 10-15 pounds underweight to 10-15 pounds overweight, and so what? Many have body and/or facial hair. So what? They look great as the subject of art.
Surprise!
Now, I am not foolish enough to think that a change in our culture will happen overnight. I am not even sure if it will happen in my lifetime. But you know what? My models “get it”. My fans “get it”. People are responding, people are thinking, people are growing. Little by little, we’re taking back control.
Think for yourselves, it’s incredibly freeing. Cause change, it’s incredibly empowering.
Pass it on!
