Ajibola Martins
12/09/17
Arts and Women
Arts and Women Semester Project
My name is Ajibola Martins. I am from Lagos, Nigeria. Moved to the United States in 2011.Why am I saying this? You may ask. Growing up, I had a lot of problem with my body image. There was always than one person, that was prettier, and had a lighter skin than I did. What is my point? You may ask again. I found every possible way to hide all my insecurities. I’ve been bullied for not looking like the norm. I’ve been bullied for basically just doing me. Where am I going with this? The point is, I grew up not appreciating myself and all the flaws I have in me. I always believed I had it worse than other kids that had to be “odd” due to medical issues. I’m an African girl with a very strong accent, but you would never know because I taught myself how to hide my “insecurities” that made me stand out.
During my senior year in High School, I took an AP studio class. We were asked to create artworks that defines who we are as a person. I could have created any artworks that exaggerated my beauty. I could’ve created artworks that would seem really appealing to the eye. However, I created series of self-portraits depicting myself with snapchat emojis. I used snapchat emojis only to show how easy it was for my to hide certain insecurities about myself, and feel good about myself in the process. Snapchat filters, to me, sort of heightens one’s beauty in a way. I’m certain that some females can probably relate to this on different levels. People feel the need to use these filters to appreciate themselves more, and feel accepted around, simply because it’s the “norm” and others use it.
I will be using Frida Kahlo as my main subject in this. Frida mostly painted self portraits after she was severely injured in a bus accident. Through her pictures, she shared her physical challenges depicted in nearly nude, revealing her spine as a decorative column. Her paintings show she still hurts from the accident. She uses certain objects to symbolize an ongoing battle and physical pain, but also how she is just able to accept it. Unlike me, that use snapchat filters to cover up my “pain”, Frida embrasses her pain and that is what makes her a stronger individual. Frida uses her sufferings through her paintings to help women display “their pains and frustrations and thus make steps towards making sense of and understanding them”. Rather than covering them up, showcasing your pain, and expressing your insecurities in one way or another will only help one overcome it.
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