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Average (arithmetic mean) of women’s bodies

Between 1939 and 1940 the United States Government conducted a study
of the measurements of women’s bodies to establish a standardized system of
garment and pattern sizes. The central theme of my research is to analyze the
female figure in the context of a technology-driven global contemporary society.
My thesis exhibition includes a body of work that echoes the pressures that
Western Society employs by standardizing women’s appearances. The focus of
the work is to confront the viewer with a visual examination, which illustrates the
preconceived notion that Western Society portrays the female body as a
commodity and exports those views to different cultures and societies. This calls
to question: “who makes those standards endorsed by society and why women
follow them?”.
From the standardized measurements conducted by the United States
Government, I generated a 2-D computer model of an outline of the generic
female figure. Based on the 2-D representation, I constructed a series of ten
27”x36” inkjet prints and a 3-Dimensional prototype of the figurative form. The
project consist on the manufacture of 14,698 molds base on the 3-
Dimensional prototype -- 10% reduction of the size of the average female. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.F.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014.. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:fau.edu/oai:fau.digital.flvc.org:fau_13414
ContributorsBehar, Linda (author), Valdes, Juana (Thesis advisor), Florida Atlantic University (Degree grantor), Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Visual Arts and Art History
PublisherFlorida Atlantic University
Source SetsFlorida Atlantic University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation, Text
Format35 p., application/pdf
RightsCopyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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