Defacement

Defacement of Girl Before The Mirror 10" x 14"
Collage

This collage is the final assignment for my mixed media and collage class at UCLA Extension. The assignment was 'defacement', to change a well known image in our own way. I chose Picasso's Girl Before a Mirror and incorporated photographic images to give the piece new meaning.

Girl Before a Mirror by Picasso

When I first saw this painting by Picasso, I thought he was trying to capture the two ways a person can look at themselves--their own view and the one others see of the outside--as represented with the cut away of the womb and the mirror's reflection of the surface of the woman's tummy. I took this divided imagery and ran with it-as the lady in Picasso's painting almost appears pregnant, I chose to look at the pro-life vs. pro-choice debate. It's a touchy subject and while I believe everyone is entitled to their own opinions and beliefs, I believe that this should extend to women's right to choose. I defaced Picasso's work by making the women's faces more life like, they could be someone you know. I also wanted to use photographs of faces because it evokes more emotions than his original painting. I added a third hand to stand for outside forces or her own wavering judgements. In her womb I pasted a photograph of a young child--the what could be. The dots in the background have been replaced with eyes, which for the most part stare at her womb, imposing their beliefs, criticizing, and ever present.

In the end it's her choice--to be pro-life or not. This right, privilage, and choice should be respected because, to sound corny, Mama knows best.