Part 4 – A of Nastia Cloutier-Ignatiev´s popular project called “The close-ups” deals with the concept of what is considered beauty in the media and the sometimes absurdity of it. By creating fictitious statements and exaggerated images and by creating a parody out of what beauty means in our culture, the project aims to show the absurdity in it and initiates a shift of perception.

“One of the questions I am most often asked is: what makes good art according to you? I think that the creative process behind an image is what makes art good. I don’t like images that are pretty for pretty’s sake. For me, art is successful when it is inspired by an idea, an elaborate concept or a story.

Lately, I have seen a lot of art about body acceptance and the excesses of surgery. I think it is important for artists to use their medium to talk about issues.

However, I am tired of seeing the same kind of images showing oversized women holding a Barbie or a beautiful model with surgery lines on her face. I think that women must discuss the implications of media messages about perfection and standards of beauty. I asked my followers how do the media change their visions of beauty. I received many comments across different cultures and all ages. To me, the responses to my question suggest that size and plastic surgery are not the only issues in the constructed notion of female perfection that concern women.

Inspired by both my personal experiences and by responses from my followers, I created fictitious statements, essentially putting words to what the media say women should look like, who they should be and what they should do. With those statements, I created images exaggerating these realities. By making a parody out of what women are told are the measures of beauty in our culture, I am hoping that we recognize the absurdity of these messages and shift our understanding of perfection. I don’t think the external sources should decide what is beautiful; I believe that women should be able to have their own vision of beauty.

These are four of the statements I created and imaged.” More to come in the next part of this series.

Makeup artist Ashley Diabo is using Mac comestics, Makeup Foever and Elizabeth Arden
Makeup artist Emy Filteau is using Mac comestics

#1 Your lashes and your lips have to be fuller and thicker, but your nose should be tiny like your waist.

Evelyne Forte @evelyne.forte from Maven Models @mavenmodels, Makeup by Geneviève Hardy @lespetitesviolettes and Photo by Nastia Cloutier-Ignatiev @nastia.jpg

#2 You have to wear makeup if you are a woman. If you don’t, you are not feminine.

Danae from Montage Models @montagemodels, Makeup by Geneviève Hardy @lespetitesviolettes and Photo by Nastia Cloutier-Ignatiev @nastia.jpg

#3  You have to look expensive. If not people won’t like you.

Victoria-rose Bedard @victoriarose.bedard from Folio Montreal @foliomontreal, Makeup by Emy Filteau @emyfilteau from Folio Montreal @folioartits and Photo by Nastia Cloutier-Ignatiev @nastia.jpg the gold jewelry the jewelries are from Luiny @luiny

#4  You have to treat your body with luxury products. If you can’t afford these products, you can’t be pretty.

Leanne Hunter @leannehunter_ from Montage Models @montagemodels, Makeup by Ashley Diabo @ashleydiabo from Dulcedo Artists @dulcedoartits and Photo by Nastia Cloutier-Ignatiev @nastia.jpg

Emma Madigan @emmamadigan from Montage Models @montagemodels, Makeup by Ashley Diabo @ashleydiabo from Dulcedo Artists @dulcedoartits and Photo by Nastia Cloutier-Ignatiev @nastia.jpg