Commodity
Women have been manipulated into embodying the images they tried to eradicate from society when they won financial independence and became consumers; advertising agencies had to think of a way to sell to their new targets. The typical marketing message aimed at women is “this product will empower you by making you beautiful”. This trend raises the questions “Do women really need this to be beautiful?” and “Who’s standard of beauty are we trying to live up to?”
In Commodity, I have photographed the female form – honestly, without manipulation. The images have then been tailored to fit into empty cosmetic compacts illustrating how women are constantly imprisoned by what they should look like and what is considered the ideal female physique. Everyday, many of us tote this inadequacy around inside of us; much like we carry a compact – a true symbol of female narcissism and the tool that most enables us to constantly monitor how we look. We are led to believe that having the ability to maintain powdered perfection throughout the day empowers us, but we have been fooled.
