political pattern #1 conform or rebel
This project explores the constraints imposed on the female body through fashion, linking it to feminist critique of societal control over women's bodies and self-image. All humans are born naked and free, yet women’s bodies, in particular, are subject to laws and social codes that shape self-perception from early childhood. Girls learn to cultivate desirability, encouraged by societal standards that align femininity with sexual allure. Fashion emerges as a symbol of this duality—it is both a means of self-expression and a vessel for cultural expectations. It can be as oppressive as a burqa or as provocative as a miniskirt, each garment bearing societal implications and rooted in historically male-defined standards. In the artwork, Yelena portrays herself as Venus Pudica, kneeling on the cement floor in a pose that merges vulnerability with resistance. Her right hand covers her crotch, while her left hand gestures toward her temple in a manner resembling a gun, suggesting the strain of conforming to imposed ideals. She is wrapped in pattern paper from DIY fashion magazines, symbolizing the rigid structures that dictate beauty standards, with white sewing thread binding her form and exposing one breast—a nod to fashion's exposure yet simultaneous restriction of the female body. Her downcast gaze offers a complex invitation to the viewer, blending allure with discomfort. This tension captures the oppressive allure of fashion as a "second skin" that either empowers or subdues, placing the choice—conformity or rebellion—squarely in the hands of the individual. Through her work, Yelena critiques these societal patterns, challenging viewers to consider the fine line between self-expression and conformity.
