Week 9 Suzy González

My classmate Aldo Maciel presented on Suzy González. Suzy González is a Chicana artist who is known for her paintings that explore social and political issues. My favorite work from her is from her series Objects of Desire. The painting is called 36-24-36 which is used to describe an ideal woman’s body. According to the picture, a woman should have a 36 bust, 24 waist and 36 inch hips. However, the painting is not a body. It’s a collection of food, such as watermelons, an hour glass of soda can tops and tacos at the bottom. The watermelons represent breasts. The hour glass represents how a woman’s body should have a thin waist. The tacos represent wide hips. There is a foot and arm, signifying how this is a human being. 

This picture speaks directly to me because I do have body dysmorphia. I constantly think about my body's flaws everyday. I am not satisfied with how my body currently looks. I want to have a skinnier waist, bigger breasts and wider hips. I need to remind myself that there is not an ideal body even though society has put that thought in all women’s brains. Women’s bodies have turned into objects of desire instead of something that is biologically natural. I also enjoy how Suzy González has incorporated food in her artwork, making it relatable and creative. Using food to signify an ideal body is ironic since food is the primary cause of weight gain. I believe that Suzy González’s main me

ssage is that if women believe in an ideal body, then they have committed to the idea of becoming objects of desire.