Birth of the Female
Kunyi Wang
My ideal self-image portrays a perfect woman who always upholds top-tier standards: a polished appearance, competitive abilities, progressive attitudes towards sex with exceptional skills, and a confident personality. While the pursuit may be draining and seemingly never-ending, I take pride in striving for it, believing that such perfection will grant me more freedom and autonomy.
However, theories of postmodern feminism and neoliberal subjectivity reveal that this goal isn't my autonomous choice, but a discipline imposed by patriarchal, neoliberal society, replacing inner self-exploration with a female paradigm obsession.
This project, featuring Aesthetic Labour, Sexual Empowerment, and Confident Chic, showcases my past fixation on the 'ideal self-image' and how power shapes my desires and deepest emotions from the outside in.
The illustration scrutinizes the hypocrisy and violence of the new politically correct discourse that "confidence is the prerequisite for female beauty." in a society emphasizing women's appearance, confidence and looks as directly linked, necessitating consumption for appearance management. Women pay for confidence and enjoy the accomplishments of aesthetic labor, while the mantra "Look Good, Feel Good" masks patrichal power's oppression over individuals. We've become fervent believers of the confidence cult, gladly devoting ourselves and tirelessly reveling in the process.