Performance Art: The Many Expectations of Women Today

In my performance art piece, "The Many Expectations of Women Today," I examine the double standards created by our greater society that pressure women of all ages to look and act in a specific way. I am exaggerating certain aspects of insecurity and self-confidence issues to prove the harsh and damaging implications of these standards that every girl and women subconsciously tend to live by.

This is an important idea to bring awareness to because as a college-age female, our looks are constantly being judged by those around us. I see so many of my friends struggle with body confidence, complaining about looking too fat or too ugly compared to the other girls they see around. I want to bring awareness to this issue because a lack of self-confidence can last a lifetime, and I want to prove the ridiculousness of some of the physically impossible standards so many girls try to reach.

I will be using myself and my friends to demonstrate the wide range of insecurities, what people think about themselves and how they view other women. I hope to show that others do not view individuals in the same negative light that they see in themselves, and those little insecurities are taking up unnecessary time and energy in everyday life. I want people to learn to embrace their natural selves without a negative view that can ruin an entire day.

The audience of my piece can profit by observing the exaggeration I present, maybe realizing for themselves that something about themselves that they are fixated on does not even catch the attention of other people. As women, we have many different sides to ourselves, and we have to learn how to embrace every single one.

In my video, I will include...

• Shoes: These shoes will represent the many different sides to myself and others, playing throughout the video to show different personas that we take on.
• Tape: To tape up insecurities and "hide" them or improve them to make them appear slimmer or to my standards.
• Interviews: To demonstrate insecurities that others have about themselves that many would never guess.
• Mirror: To dramatically show the self-judgement that many participate in on a daily basis.  

21st Century Technology

Virtual reality (VR) has existed for many years, with the purpose of creating some sort of illusion, placing someone or something in a different setting, virtually. It is said that the first form of VR can be traced back to 360 degree murals, creating a landscape or setting all around a person.

The first form of technology that VR can be traced back to is flight simulators. While the quality of the images does not compare to what we have developed today, the images allowed potential pilots to experience "flying" without being in the air.

It was not until 1987 that the term "virtual reality" was launched, when the first pieces of headgear that we see versions of today were introduced to the market. However, they were large, wired, clunky and not nearly as accurate as the technology that many kids receive for Christmas in today's society.

Headsets continued to flourish in the markets, created by high tech companies including Google and Nintendo for video game or otherwise recreational purposes. Today, it is used by both individuals and large corporations for entertainment, product marketing, sports and medical training, education, and even military operations.

The possibilities seem endless as wireless and animation technologies continue to improve, making it possible for images to become even more realistic, and on bigger scales. VR as well as Augmented Reality (AR) are working together to improve user experiences, letting users see all that the world has to offer from their own homes.

Artist vs. Inventor

While there are many similarities between an artist and an inventor, there may be some aspects that separate the two. It is important to note that one individual can be both an artist an inventor, such as Leonardo DaVinci.

In my opinion, the two terms can be interchangeable, but the word artist can be defined as producing a piece of work, or art. It could also be that one has a specific skillset, such as painting, drawing or sculpture, that they can create or reproduce.

An inventor can be defined slightly differently as one who creates an original process, rather than a piece or multiple pieces that demonstrate a certain skill, as an artist would.

An artist's priority can be themselves, using art as an expression of some sort, but an inventor must serve the general public in some way. The art an artist produces can influence a larger group, but that may not be the original purpose as an invention is.

Fish in the Sea - FMX 211 Stop Motion

Here is my stop motion animation video! I decided to make an ocean scene, showing fish swimming, being eaten, being baited by fishermen, and living happily ever after. The music changes from suspenseful to bubbly and happy once the big fish is captured and the rest of the fish can swim free.



Thanks for watching!