ARTIST STATEMENT
Femininity and what it means to be a woman in today’s politically charged society are ideas that are constantly on my mind. Growing up as a plus-size girl in a world that commands young women to fit into the beauty standard, making art about myself was never a consideration; I did not think my fat body was beautiful enough to be an art piece.
The media overwhelmingly chooses only to portray people who fit the standard of beauty. Within the art world, fat people are more likely to be represented in a way that is meant to highlight the grotesque. Using stereotypically feminine mediums such as glitter, beading, satin, lace, rhinestones, and the color pink, along with screen print and airbrush acrylic, I focus on showcasing the beauty of the fat body. The use of these bold and shiny materials lures the viewer in, inviting them to look closer and consider the figures.
Combining these pretty, feminine materials with a fat figure highlights the beauty of the bigger body, providing an argument to the viewer to reconsider the opinions ingrained in our society. I want my work to bring awareness to the variety of bigger bodies and change the way people see them.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Molly Borth grew up in Towanda, Illinois. She currently lives and works in Carbondale, Illinois. She is an MFA candidate at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. She received her BFA with an emphasis in printmaking from Western Illinois University and won the Mavigliano-Brabec Senior Art Prize. She is a multi-media printmaker, working primarily with silkscreen. Her work ranges from print, fiber arts, photo, and video art, exploring concepts of beauty, femininity, and fatness. She uses stereotypically feminine mediums such as glitter, satin, rhinestones, and lace to highlight the beauty a fat body has. Her work has been shown across the country, including the Morgan Paper Conservatory in Ohio and the Figge Museum in Iowa. Her work is in the private collection of Sherry C. M. Lindquist. She is a member of Southern Graphics Council International and Mid America Print Council.
© Molly Borth