Today I am sharing work from a series of
provocative paintings exploring the question of what defines A Woman’s Worth?
These works were created from a young woman’s experiences, confronting
Feminist, Womanist, and Humanist topics of personal and global interest in the
mid to late 90’s. The series leans toward dark, surrealistic, symbolic and
highly stylized feminine imagery. It covers a wide emotional spectrum exploring
the value placed on female fertility, intellect, strength, beauty and the sexuality
of women. These extremely personal works question the artist's position as well
as women in the world at large. The goal of the work was to ignite a
conversation toward awareness and change, to discuss what it means to be female
and how we can continue to redefine and improve perception and conditions.
When a woman is told she is infertile, the healthy
women in her life begin to magically glow with overflowing fertility, like ripe
Ovary Trees. The female body’s entire purpose for existence is engineered
toward this one thing, reproduction. And your body? It has betrayed you. The
defeated spirit imagines those other women in their pain free, normal bodies,
placidly pumping out eggs, proudly producing the little beings that will help define
their future self's worth. Even when you believed you didn't want to have
children, the fact that it is no longer an option, destroys you. The loss and
the devastation lead you to wonder, what is A Woman's Worth? A Woman's Worth.
Painting Series. Acrylic Paint on Canvas by Amy E. Fraser (1995-97). All images
copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.
"If you have endometriosis, it may be more
difficult for you to become pregnant. Up to 30% to 50% of women with
endometriosis may experience infertility. Endometriosis can influence fertility
in several ways: distorted anatomy of the pelvis, adhesions, scarred fallopian
tubes, inflammation of the pelvic structures, altered immune system
functioning, changes in the hormonal environment of the eggs, impaired
implantation of a pregnancy, and altered egg quality." Find out more @ reproductivefacts.org
Fertility? Infertility? Can we escape our
bodily burden? The Uterine Lake is about self identity and the struggle with
biology, posing the question of what is A Woman's Worth? A Woman's Worth.
Painting Series. Acrylic Paint on Canvas by Amy E. Fraser (1995-97). All images
copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.
The Uterus is a Motherhood Symbol that is
timeless and universal. "We have been using symbols to communicate our
thoughts before we even developed the art of writing. Some of the symbols we
use today have their roots in the very beginning of intelligent human communication.
Among the most enduring symbols that can be found across geographically and
culturally diverse civilizations are those that depict motherhood and
everything that mothers stand for including; fertility and procreation,
guidance and protection, sacrifice, compassion, dependability, and
wisdom." Find out more @ ancient-symbols.com
"The uterus is a multifaceted symbol that
holds great personal and social significance for women. It's image expresses
life and death, fears and anxiety, freedom and oppression, power and
vulnerability, femininity, motherhood, personal choice, career choice,
identity, status, and woman's procreative potential as well as creative
potential. It is my belief, that, given the multiplicity of meanings, the
uterus stands as both a power symbol and a reminder of who we are. The uterus
is representative of the choices we make about our bodies and within our
bodies. The uterus is a symbol of our personal and intimate choices, but it
also reminds us that we are not alone; every woman has had the same choices. I
think the uterus is a positive symbol because being a woman is about these
choices and experiences and we should not be ashamed of our struggles, hurts
and happiness." --- Chapter 9 Uterus. Sacred Sexuality And Feminine
Symbolism. Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue by Amy E.
Fraser.
Who wants to be a Nest anyway? All of those
vultures claiming, discussing and manipulating your reproductive organs like
they are public property. All hail The Great Mother. The beauty and glory is
celebrated by others while woman becomes mere vessel, rooted, faceless, serving
the needs of the greater good, determining her value to others, and eventually
to herself, through this becoming of The Nest. Meanwhile, the vultures keep reaping
the benefits, chattering, tending to The Nest. What is a Woman's Worth? A
Woman's Worth. Painting Series. Acrylic Paint on Canvas by Amy E. Fraser
(1995-97). All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.
Dichotomy is a division into two parts, groups,
or classes, especially when these are sharply distinguished or opposed.
The vultures watch as we struggle with our Dichotomy.
Mind over Reproduction? What does one pursue? Do we bow to Mother Nature? Do we
rise to our Intellect? Remember how they told women they could be a successful
working women and mothers? Tell that to the Latchkey kids and their horrifying memories
of what happened to them when they spent their days as unsupervised orphans. Then
ask those grown Latchkey Kids what we choose to do with our Dichotomy? What is
a woman’s worth? A Woman's Worth. Painting Series. Acrylic Paint on Canvas by
Amy E. Fraser (1995-97). All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights
reserved.
According to Wiki "The term latchkey kid
became commonplace to describe members of Generation X, who according to a 2004
marketing study, "went through its all-important, formative years as one
of the least parented, least nurtured generations in U.S. history."
Latchkey kids were prevalent during this time, a result of increased divorce
rates and increased maternal participation in the workforce, at a time before
childcare options outside the home were widely available. These latchkey
children, referred to as "day orphans"... mainly came from middle or
upper-class homes. The higher the educational attainment of the parents, the
higher the odds the children of this time would be latchkey kids."
For centuries, a woman’s youth and beauty were
the determinant of her worth. A woman’s worth should be the totality of who she
is. A woman is worth more than her outer appearance, more than her title at
work, more than her fertility status, more than how much money she makes, more
than her waist size, more than the color of her skin, more than the jewelry and
name brands she wears, a woman is worth MORE. A woman is worth what she decides
she is worth and no individual or society can take away what she determines for
herself.
For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go
to Aefraser.com.
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