angelina
i saw this magazine in a super market and thought it would make a great Lichtenstein-inspired image.
some Lichtenstein examples...
it would be perfect, i thought, what with both images portraying a similar yearning for someone named Brad. but i quickly realized how non-feminist the messages these images portray are. Angelina Jolie is portrayed as a helpless woman in the wake of her horrible divorce. the magazine uses words like “desperate” and quotes her saying “I want Brad back” as if she is incapable of living without him. the Lichtenstein image above, though iconic and beautifully made, portrays a drowning woman who dramatically, even stupidly, refuses to call Brad for help. in effect, this image makes the woman seem both helpless and idiotic. to counter these negative portrayals of women in art and media, i decided to use Lichtenstein’s style ironically and portray the emotionally drained Angelina Jolie in an empowering stance. as such, i placed her with her hands clasped into Mother Mary’s signature garb, attributing to her all the positive qualities that Mary embodies: strength, independence, capability. additionally, i chose to give Angelina tears, as so many of Lichtenstein’s women are crying in his paintings. however, in my rendering, her tears are not a sign of dependence or longing, but rather a sign of strength and resilience. this work, made with Adobe Illustrator, is intended to serve as an image that could be printed onto graphic posters, phone cases, and t-shirts.
the process
