Beautiful Woman

© Ana Espinal - Painted Face, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size. © Ana Espinal - Juicy Roses, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size. © Ana Espinal - Silky Waist, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size. View all images ↓
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  • Dates
    2017 - 2018
  • Author
  • Location United States, United States
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This body of work focuses on an exploration of the female body and the discomforts imposed by modern femininity. I chose to create self-portrait photographs using materials that traditionally represent beauty, to demonstrate how females conform to societal pressures that beauty must be portrayed in specific ways, regardless of the physical pain. I closely worked with parts of the body I perceive women focusing on decorating in order to look and feel beautiful.

The photographs are made with soft studio lighting as a display of superficiality, very similar to what is found in beauty advertisements. The materials used in each photograph consist of different fabrics types; crystals beads and flowers that are carefully manipulated into shapes incorporating a dramatic effect just to illustrate the painful details of the process that one can call “attractiveness.” Color is fundamental to this body of work since I manipulated the colors with pink tones to emphasize the presence of the female character.

Beautiful Woman is a representation of the way I feel to be a woman and the pressure to feel feminine. The work is inspired by a recollection of memories that impacted me throughout my life and show me how to appreciate and celebrate womanhood. I want to capture the effort and time many women dedicate to this idea of the ideal beauty because life is heavily based on appearance. Ultimately I want the viewers, especially women, to feel encouraged and to embrace love of their bodies.

© Ana Espinal - Painted Face, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.
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Painted Face, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.

© Ana Espinal - Juicy Roses, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.
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Juicy Roses, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.

© Ana Espinal - Silky Waist, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.
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Silky Waist, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.

© Ana Espinal - Wild Lips, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.
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Wild Lips, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.

© Ana Espinal - Pink Mask, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.
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Pink Mask, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.

© Ana Espinal - Red Diamond, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.
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Red Diamond, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.

© Ana Espinal - 5' High Heels, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.
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5' High Heels, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.

© Ana Espinal - Wild Hair, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.
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Wild Hair, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.

© Ana Espinal - Dried Roses, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.
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Dried Roses, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.

© Ana Espinal - Gold Hair, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.
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Gold Hair, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.

© Ana Espinal - Blue Flower, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.
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Blue Flower, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.

© Ana Espinal - Pink Socks, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.
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Pink Socks, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.

© Ana Espinal - Pink Rollers, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.
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Pink Rollers, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.

© Ana Espinal - Golden Fingers, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.
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Golden Fingers, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.

© Ana Espinal - Wild Pearls, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.
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Wild Pearls, Archival inkjet print, 20 x 30 in. or smaller size.

© Ana Espinal - Example of a 20 x 30 inches print
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Example of a 20 x 30 inches print