Miss America
Madelaine Romito (Streamwood, IL)
Acrylic on Canvas, 24” W x 20” H
Artwork:
A girl innocently colors while the TV is on. On the TV, Miss America pageant contestants compete in a bikini contest, communicating subtly to this little girl that appearance dictates a woman's worth.
Artist Statement:
I am a painter who explores sociocultural influences on body image. My paintings employ distorted color, light, shadow, and juxtaposition to depict the real as surreal. I work primarily in acrylic on canvas, using small brushstrokes and careful blending to render fine details. My creative process is influenced by my background in mental health counseling as well as my own experiences with body image. Through my work, I hope to raise awareness and invite self-reflection about how contradictory yet quotidian representations of the body may negatively impact people's experiences of their bodies and others' bodies.
From the We're Doing It ALL Wrong® - 4th Annual Art Exhibition