Beyond the Body

As human beings, our bodies serve as a protective armor. As women, our bodies additionally serve as powerful portals. Every human on Earth was birthed from a woman.

With this kind of power, the female body has been a source of political controversy for centuries.

For centuries, women have had the common experience of objectification of our bodies, being named property at times, threatening the acknowledgment of and stigmatizing our logical, emotional and spiritual selves. Would it be empowering to OWN the objectification of our own bodies? If we remove a layer, what is beyond the body?

The sculptural installation Beyond the Body is a powerful two-part experience for participants to privately use plaster body casting methods to create our outermost shell, in the form of an object! After coming to terms with removing the physical out layer, participants will look inward to reflect on the question: What is beyond the body? The public display would anonymously and proudly show the diversity of bodies of women, who stand in solidarity with owning their selves. By removing the body and putting it on display, we are allowing our emotional, logical and spiritual selves to shine through our complex stories, displayed with the body casts.

Warrior Goddess (Full Body)

I never really understood what people meant when they said “be kind to your body” but seeing myself from this perspective has been like taking off lenses of judgment. I think we all observe ourselves more harshly than we do others, and the body more so than our mind and emotions. It’s easy to overlook and take for granted the strength and beauty of our physical form- especially for women, and especially in a time where women’s bodies are treated as if they belong to the world and not to the incredible person that lives within. This form is a vessel to a human being. One who tries so hard to be genuine with those around her, one who often worries too much about what people think, one who is ambitious and feisty, and who struggles daily with anxiety and depression. This body has danced and climbed mountains, and needs to sing like she needs to drink water. This body has housed heartbreak and pain and has felt like bursting with happiness in the arms of love. All of this and so much more my body has carried with her and she has fluctuated, and grown, and morphed over time to reflect the different seasons of my life. I have not always been gentle with her, and I have not always put her first, but she has persisted just waiting for the day I will see her through a lense of grace and kindness. Looking at her now feels like the page has turned on a new chapter- the one where I will honor my body and the beautiful woman it is home to.

Radhe & Krishna (Heart Hands)

All people experience objectification at some point in their lives, not just female-bodies or female-identifying people. It is important to recognize and be true to ourselves for our own unique brilliance, and to honor all others. Attempt to keep someone close to you because they are different, not because they are the same as you. Our differences come in all shapes, sizes and colors, but we don’t just wear them on the outside. Our difference decorate our insides, too.

I am not just a strong, attractive body that can outperform most. I have emotions, too. I feel pressured by society to hide them and many of my experiences only reaffirm this. When I shut down I can be very cold, but when my emotions are nurtured by positive reenforcement, I feel comfortable to open up and be my true self.

I am often looked to for stability and grounding, even when those qualities are vacant in my own life. I find reservoirs of energy I didn’t know were there. Traditional school did not work for me, however I have brilliant mind. I am a complex thinker and infinite library of information. It is important to be both selfless and selfish. It is important to live for yourself and work for yourself. If you take care of your needs, it is easier to take care of others.

We all have the ability to give power to whatever we respect, pay attention to and talk about. If we can respect our bodies, minds, hearts and souls, we are literally giving ourselves power.

Aphrodite (Shoulder)

I am not simply a creation of lines and curves to please someone’s view.. Though I am grateful for my body, which has carried me through life’s trials and tribulations, I am not just an empty shell. I am not just a side boob and silhouette, I am not just an object to admire, and I am not just a professional.

I am a leader with innovative ideas. I guide others through major life choices and decisions. I lead organizations to success through communication and development. I have a great mind for navigating difficult oceans. I have an expansive and beautiful mind.

I am very fragile like a flower and fragile like a bomb. My heart is so big I feel like I could solve all problems with love and understanding. I love and have faith in God. I love dogs, flowers and documentaries. I have a hard time understanding why people do not operate with love, give each other grace, or treat each other with human decency. I do not understand societal polarization.

I am intense, sharp but soft like a feather. continuously searching for the next accomplishment to no final goal. I recognize that my intuition has a continuous drum beating in my soul - keeping my foundational rhythm to move through life.

Victory (Running Legs)

I am many things- a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister, athlete and educated. But of all the amazing things I am, confident is not one of them. My mind plays tricks, I see the marks, errors, bumps and in the mirror. This view of my physical body comes from years as a young woman who struggled to maintain the weight of my postpartum body, post High School athlete body. Counting calories, sweating for hours, going hungry all while raising two little boys and I was never thin enough, never pretty enough, never lean enough, never enough. I valued my worth on the number on the scale, the size of my pants- not the achievements I made in my personal, education and professional life.

Participating a body cast model scared me, made me sick and nervous. How could I expose the scars, the cellulite, the imperfections to a near stranger, and worse to my co-workers. But seeing my body through the eyes of an artist, the curves and shapes it made, the lines I realized that my body was more than the imperfections. My body carried my 70.3 miles to complete a triathlon, birthed two children, and has supported my family as we move across states and oceans following Nav orders. I am more than the stretch marks from boring children, the scars from adventures. I am strong, I am smart and I am loved not because of what I look like but because of who I am.

Goddess of Growth (Axila)

What's on your mind? If you had the actual time to listen, I would share but since you've taken a snap shot of my exterior and formulated a narrative that probably has nothing to do with the heart of who I am. I will simply say, "oh nothing much, just thinking about the weather..."

What's on your heart? I used to ask this question all the time to people I entrust, and found that my heart was being exchanged to those whom I entrust as kindreds. My heart is overflowing with good things, again I say my heart is overflowing with good things. Connection with people, the sweet song on the radio that stirs nostalgia, the timeless sunsets, my heart is overflowing with good things.

My soul, my soul is steady...okay not consistently steady, those that know me well know that at times my exterior is stable but my core, my soul is shaken. My soul is shaken when ideals are cemented as truth, my soul is shaken when hatred seems to be the consistent noise coming from mega phones. But today my soul is steady, because I'm not fixed on the imperfections of humanity, but the hope that there's better.

My exterior is just a portion of what I bring to the table, my heart is ready to love, my mind is ready to engage and my soul is full of peace.

Kali, Goddess of Transformation, Destruction and Transcendent (Shush Face)

My body is not something anyone can dissemble and objectify. It is something I was born with and would never want to change. It is unique and carries my mind. Which is full of many deep thoughts and creative ideas. It has gotten me through school with straight A’s and an associates degree. It also holds my passions which motivate me to succeed no matter what the circumstance. I am not afraid to speak my thoughts and refused to be shushed by anyone.

My heart is full of love for the people around me. I always wish the best for anyone I meet and although I can be blunt and my love seems tough, it is given out with care and concern for my loved ones well being.

I am one to have many questions for many subjects. I am always searching for the truth and constantly want to learn new things. I am who I am and my soul shows that I am a complex human being with many thoughts and feelings in which some are exclusive to me. And even when I pass, my soul, and who I am in essence will be remembered by the ones I love.

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Beyond the Body

As human beings, our bodies serve as a protective armor. As women, our bodies additionally serve as powerful portals. Every human on Earth was birthed from a woman. With this kind of power, the female body has been a source of political controversy for centuries.

As human beings, our bodies serve as a protective armor. As women, our bodies additionally serve as powerful portals. Every human on Earth was birthed from a woman.

With this kind of power, the female body has been a source of political controversy for centuries.