Video Art: "Miss Art World"

Описание: Crowning of Miss Art World!

This video and performance art piece was the crowning of Miss Art World. Miss Art World is a lifelong performance piece that challenges the standards of beauty by using visual elements and ideologies of beauty pageants. In the world of pageants you are crowned and have one year to be Miss …, the age limit Miss usually fall between 17-29, “Miss” is define typically as a young unmarried woman which is the period of time in a women’s life when she has the highest value in society, they are most desired. Childbearing is the second highest value period in a women’s life. Both of these periods of being highly valued are decided by others because others place a value on them. At least this how I grow up feeling and believing.
For me as Miss Art World the lifelong performance piece is a challenge. I am someone who easily bought into these beliefs, I enjoyed pageants it is an environment where I fit in but learning about feminism my beliefs started to shift and elements of world I belong in seemed wrong. As Miss New York World, within the one year there is a feeling that I have a right to wear the crown and sash because I had earned it, a panel of judges decided I was the winner. So I never question it but when I went out as Miss Art World at first there was anxiety because no one said I was pretty enough and worthy enough. However I soon decided I don’t need to be pretty enough, or young, or unmarried, or pregnant to be valued. I am Miss Art World because I value myself always. I will keep the “Miss” in my title even though I am married because to flip the value place on the period of being a “Miss” on its head. These categories and words do for define us. When I am ninety I will still wear the Miss Art World sash and know value is a personal choice.
I think we have these fears that society has given us and it is our job to challenge these fears even if they make us uncomfortable. For example the fear of letting people see me without makeup stuck with me for a long time, it wasn’t until I performed “Personal Vacation” where I had to enter the room with full hair and makeup and then take it all off is when I got over this fear. That is want I want everyone to be able to do.
Beauty is not a necessary it is an accessory.