At the Jewish museum, Rachel Feinstein’s gallery show: “Maiden, Mother, Crone” stood out to me the most. Rachel Feinstein‘s art is based on the exploration of feminism ideas that emphasize on her fascination with opposition and conflict in the nature of cultural expression. Her work has been primarily focused on figurative sculptures centered on the female figure and placed importance in religion, fantasy, and fairy tales. In 2018, She borrowed a look from “Snow Angel” from Victoria’s Secret lingerie show to create the sculpture of Icicles which is made from polyester resin and pigment over foam with a wooden base. When thinking of Victoria’s Secret, we think of women empowerment and a place where women can proudly display their bodies and sexuality. In reality, all of Victoria’s Secret models have a well-formed, curvaceous, impossibly slim build and symmetrical body. Not every female being has such bodies. Feinstein’s sculpture, however, depicts a young female figure with a horrific, discolored, messy, lumpy and awkward appearance that represents her realistic approach to displaying a female being. Feinstein unpacks how women have been shaped through a public imagination and tried to institute the idea that women are not all perfect. They have their own flaws and deficiencies. 

 

This abstract work of art constitutes a concept of feminism and opposition. She draws attention to the idea that there is no fact without fiction and the concept of beauty and decay. The conflict of reality and expectations for women has sparked her interest in creating this work of art. Icicle is mostly made with black and white pigments with bits of brown and pink. The pink signifying the human flesh while the black and brown showing the rotting of skin. This shows that women under societal pressure and expectations have constantly changed their bodies to fit the standard causing decays. This sculpture also has little rings around her arms and legs. I believe those might demonstrate how women are trapped from their freedom and chained to the imaginations and fantasies of others. Icicle is a mimesis of women and at the same time an abstract art that presents the difference between reality and fiction. Feinstein tried to change the audience’s view of women through the display of this sculpture showing that gorgeous women do not need to have a gorgeous body to be gorgeous. We do not know what was behind the scenes of those that obtained Victoria’s Secret kind of body, therefore we should not judge females based on their body figures. Models are only part of the female population, they do not represent all female figures. Rachel Feinstein’s work was effectively showing the audience this concept.

Icicles  2018