Emily McKenna

Protuberance (2018)
photograph and mixed media sculpture
28 x 17 x 3 in.

The goal of this body of work is to explore the plasticity of social constructions revolving around the human body. Societal, and often patriarchal, standards position the body as repulsive and abnormal. The adaptability of the fiber and metal that make up these forms parallel the plasticity of the content I am exploring. This work attempts to subtly deconstruct societal expectations that I, like many, have felt through my feminine experience. Through these sculptural fiber pieces, that also can be worn, I attempt to mimic and highlight these intimate parts of the body that are hidden; uncovering and confronting the destructive qualities of these paradigms. Through humorously playing upon feminist theorizations of abjection I want to empower different aspects of these hidden bodies by making them visible. (MI)

© Emily McKenna