Contra Botero

Observing my collages, a good friend reminded me that 'man prefers to see slimmer woman'. I argued. For art, 'fuller' woman is more interesting. It has 'shape' and stronger aura. Remember Botero's work? He explains his use of obese figures and forms as such: "An artist is attracted to certain kinds of form without knowing why. You adopt a position intuitively; only later do you attempt to rationalize or even justify it."

Aha!

By the way, I challenged myself to do slim model this evening. It's hard to be satisfied with my work. I cut here, cut there,... before too long the lady has taken three packages of slimming therapy. Grr..

I try to rationalize the 'difficulties'. People have 'expectations'; the right size of waist, breast, arms, tummy,... It has to be proportionate to be called 'nice slim'. And after we get the right proportion, we only have Barbie doll. Plain human without 'beauty'.

That's my justification of my obese figures I love as model :-)

Mona Lisa by Botero, 1977, oil on canvas, 183 x 166 cm