14 Valentines day 13: Art

[corbae]

14valentines is a project started by rageprufrock several years ago to bring attention to women's issues through fandom and Livejournal. I've always really liked the project. I thought I'd be able to participate more this year, but severely underestimated how much time moving to another country would take up.

Today's theme is Arts and Entertainment. There's plenty of meta out there about the portrayal of women in bandom, and even fandom in general, and I think others have been more articulate than I can be right now. But I will say that the sheer hatred I've seen addressed toward the wives and girlfriends of band members, and the way women in and surrounding the bands are ignored or turned into stereotypes, is sickening. It's not unique to bandom, but "she's not good enough for him" &c is that much more shocking to me when it's real people.

Anyway! I think that women are, have been, and will continue to be awesome musicians and artists, and today is a great day to celebrate that.

Here is a picture! It's on 22 by 30" Stonehenge paper, done in Prismacolor pencils and blended with their marker blender. It's part of an unfinished diptych dealing with fannishness/obsession in music, and how being at a concert can sometimes be like being part of a cult. It's heavily inspired by a Cobra Starship show I went to in November and references pictures I took there. There's some discoloration due to glare, especially in the lower right corner.

Comments

[endofhistory.livejournal.com]

That is kind of amazing <3 <3

[corbae.livejournal.com]

thank you! I'm really proud of it.

[anacoluthon.livejournal.com]

One thing that makes me really uncomfortable (or, more often, really FURIOUS) is that a lot of slash writers justify non-canon relationships by making canon women idiots, whores, or raging hellbeasts so the dudes can hook up. Not only is it sloppy, unimaginative storytelling, it's incredibly offensive. I know nothing about bandom and avoid fandom in general these days, but I can imagine the sort of things you read in the music world.

Nice piece, for sure. I like the detail shots.

[corbae.livejournal.com]

yes, exactly! It's not bad in the fic I read, but I'm very selective about what I read and am quick to hit the back button if it looks like it's not worth my time. What I encounter more often is undisguised dislike in the comments of some of the newsletters. If someone you don't even know says they love someone else you don't even know, it's probably best to believe there's something worthwhile about that person.

thank you, it was my final project for that art class I took.

[arundhathi.livejournal.com]

this is beautiful. you've done an awesome job.

[corbae.livejournal.com]

thanks!