Labels for the dresses:bad girl
nice girl
sad girl
shy girl
good girl
pretty girl
ugly girl
smart girl
stupid girl
daddy's girl
fat girl
sexy girl
lazy girl
What were you told as a little girl?
Did you reject this or adopt it?
Visit my site www.andrea-graham.com
12 comments:
Every little girl (and boy) is special in their own way. One girl can be all of those ... or not.
Some of those aren't nice as labels. Your concept is certainly food for thought. Little girls are very complex and maybe it's all about just one girl? Hmmm ... I'll be thinking about this all day. ;-)
I argue none of them are nice labels. What happens to the little girl that hears "pretty girl". Does she grow to believe she has little else to contribute? How does the "smart girl" feel when she fails to meet lofty expectations? Does the "lazy girl" strive to reject this label or adopt it as fact. Yes...food for thought.
Yes food for thought, I was told conflicting things and never realised how much they effected me until years later. Visit me this sat for a giveaway with A fanciful twists Mad tea Party, bye for now.
great blog, i am a feltmaker too.
grt. Helmi
I really like this, interesting because I keep thinking felt is about making beautiful things, and here you are making a political point so well. as you say labels are not 'nice' even when they might appear to be.
I do hope your exhibition raises some good response.
thanks for sharing
martine
Wow, those are too much to think about ...
Good for you!
I know I was smart and probably a few other things that weren't so cool then.
Even my son in high school now ... it is cooler for the girls to be sexy and cute than to be smart...
hmmm.
Difficult topic for myself born in the 60s but then again not so much has changed.
Great post,
Barbara
I was 'ginga' girl at school or 'freckle' face.
Loved you photo of the little dresses all lined up!
lol, Ginga Squid! :o) These lables really do become how we define ourselves. They remain that little voice, whether we like it or not. In your case, it's pretty darn cute!
Martine,
I like to think of myself as an artist working in a craft medium. Much of my work is conceptual. I do also take a great deal of pride in being a "maker"/fine crafts person and strive for technical excellence in feltmaking.
I was a wild girl---and very proud of this label :-) perhaps didn´t hear the other ones...what about: "a label a day keeps expectations away..?
You could also use Clumsy girl? Selfish girl? Naughty girl?
"Good girl" is what I use most on my own daughters, although I try really hard not to, it's so meaningless and trite...
Personally I'm a little uncomfortable with "sexy girl" on such small dresses - but maybe that's the point :)
Jean
That is exactly the point and you should know, I hear it all the time. I once encountered a father who proudly taught his barely speaking daughter to say "I'm sexy". I agree, makes me uncomfortable too. One look at the media and music videos and very young girls are sexualized and are being raised by those who deem this a favourable attribute. I tell my boys they are beautiful and smart...I know the consequences. We talk a lot about expectations and, well, it's what we parents do, itsn't it!!
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