-
Born in New York City, Zoe is currently a senior at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. She enjoys studying the intersection of Feminism and Art History and hopes to continue this passion in college. She views NYC as both a home and a lab. Zoe loves that every time she steps outside, she makes new discoveries. In her free time, Zoe visits museums, finds new coffee spots, and sees friends.
Kevin Beasely’s Bird is a transcendent piece that questions what the body can be. At first glance, the viewer might notice the figure’s grand stature or its gold and floral film. They may wonder why the piece is hollow or what Beasely’s intention was behind the footprints at the sculpture’s base. Though, when further examined, the audience can synthesize how these seemingly disparate elements add to Beasley’s larger comments on femininity and art history.
In its existence, Bird delves into what it means to be feminine.The sculpture is inherently unconventional. The figure’s bodice, taken from a mannequin, is the only real indication of gender. However, femininity has never really been ambiguous in Art History. From Hellenistic sculpture like Winged Victory to Venetian Renaissance paintings like Venus of Urbino, womanhood was visually formulaic. By leaving the work faceless and, in a way, shapeless, Beasely is going against this art historical tradition. He is reinventing what a femininine body can look like.