Faces that question female identity
Some portraits by Jenny Saville
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21814/2i.6175Keywords:
female identity, portrait, face, Jenny SavilleAbstract
Identity is a recurring theme in contemporary society, as well as in art, since the individual is faced with an abundance of possibilities that make it difficult to adopt a single identity. This article aims to explore female identity through the analysis of portraits created by the artist Jenny Saville. After starting with a comprehensive introduction to the topic, the method applied in this work consists of a case study, delving deeper into the analysis of five specific artworks by the artist – Reverse, Rosetta II, Branded, Chasah and Virtual. These paintings are selected for their significant role in challenging traditional standards of beauty associated with the female face, addressing non-normative identities through issues such as violence, blindness, plastic surgery, obesity and the idea of fragmentation. Through this article, we seek to understand how Saville reconstructs and redefines female identity in her art.
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