With the introduction of the Barbie doll in the nineteen sixties, our narcissistic society –reinforced by mass media and publicity– started to fixate on the idea that the female body should be extremely thin. As a consequence, eating disorders and plastic surgeries increased, setting the physical standards that society considered desirable. Throughout history this has changed and has evolved differently in different cultures.
Modern society discriminates people because of their fashion taste and appearance. That’s why we should take a look at the past, some centuries ago, when curvy women were the embodiment of beauty. For example, the famous painter Rubens portrayed beauty through curvaceous figures.
Another important example is the Colombian painter Fernando Botero, known for painting overweighted characters which, as the painter said, gave volume to his work so, through curves, they would become sensual pieces.
Why has it become harder to watch big bodies in mainstream body displays? Why are skinny bodies the only glamorous ones? Photographer Silvana Denker wanted to contribute to this unbalanced representations of body diversity in art and created a photographic series in which her models, painted in gold and silver, posed as sensual and elegant sculptures.
Her goal was to “place them as silver and golden sculptures, because [she] wanted to create art and, at the same time, show the beautiful bodies of the women involved.” The 32-year-old German photographer sent an invitation through Facebook for women to participate in the project and was really surprised to see the positive response it had. Even her mom participated in the shoot.
This project was born after Denker dealt with self image issues due to her weight. She came from hating her body to helping women have a positive image of themselves and show it to the world.
This invitation summoned real, confident women who found in each of their movements something to be proud of and who showed the world that beauty can be found in any shape. The series talks about knowledge and sense of humor; it’s about how we deal with everyday life and how we relate to ourselves.
With these photographs, Silvana Denker isn’t glorifying overweight; she’s trying to find beauty in every type of body and in our imperfections, our muffin tops, and all those physical “flaws” that even the most healthy and athletic woman can have.
It’s all about showing the beauty of the body we have, about celebrating it and loving it!
You can find more beautiful photographs in the following articles:
Photographs That Prove Nudity Can Be Erotic And Elegant
Photographs Of Women That Won’t Let Anyone Judge Them By Their Bodies
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Translated by María Isabel Carrasco Cara Chards
