I found this week’s lectures on the influence of medical technologies on art (and vice versa) to be especially fascinating seeing as I’ve always perceived the human body as an incredible work of art. I was especially mesmerized by Professor Vesna’s discussion of plastic surgery in Part 3 of her lecture — specifically our discussion of the french artist Orlan’s contributions to plastic surgery (Vesna, “Lecture: Medicine Pt.3”). Orlan, or Mireille Suzanne Francette Porte, is most famously recognized for her desire to “transform herself into a living work of art through plastic surgery” (Frank). In other words, Orlan attempted to transform her body by undergoing several (very public) surgical procedures in the hopes of resembling some of the world’s greatest beauties, such as DaVinci’s “Mona Lisa” and Botticelli’s “Venus.”
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| Beauty of Orlan http://oldsite.english.ucsb.edu/faculty/ecook/courses/eng114em/beautyorlan.JPG |
Since the 1970s, Orlan’s views of plastic surgery have become very popular — convincing people of all ages to continue experimenting with plastic surgery to achieve their own version of “ideal beauty.” As I was researching further into Orlan’s work, I came across a very interesting article written for a Stanford history class which described Orlan’s work as “feeding into the rituals of female submission, analogous to primitive rites involving the cutting up of women’s bodies” for men (Rose). This article broaches upon an extremely important question: How far should women (and even men) be willing to go in terms of altering their bodies to achieve “ideal beauty” and to increase their chances of attracting a mate?
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| Plastic Surgery Procedures http://a57.foxnews.com/global.fbnstatic.com/static/managed/img/Health/2009/July |
Prior to teaching us about Orlan, Professor Vesna mentioned that the term “plastic” should be understood by its definition of “giving mold and/or form” to the human body (Vesna, “Lecture: Medicine Pt.3”). While the need for plastic surgery is viewed as somewhat “controversial” in today’s society (as suggested in the case of Orlan), I really liked this definition because I think that plastic surgery can truly transform someone’s life — especially someone who’s been in a traumatic accident or someone who needs special medical attention. I came across a really interesting website about this topic, entitled the “Reconstructing Lives Blog,” which consists of several patient stories about how plastic surgery saved their lives (“Patient Stories: Reconstructing Lives”).
Another example of how plastic surgery holds great potential is shown in the television show Botched on E!, which follows two plastic surgeons (Dr. Terry Dubrow and Dr. Paul Nassif) who repair botched and/or distorted surgical procedures on their patients. In every episode, the doctors attempt to “fix” these mistakes made by previous plastic surgeons and usually, the doctors are successful at restoring their patients’ self-confidence.
Here's the trailer for the most recent season of Botched on E!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7vYEIUeENY
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| Botched http://evolutionusa.com/media/photos/botched_plain_1920x1080.jpg |
Beauty of Orlan. Digital Image. english.UCSB.edu. Web. 25. Apr. 2015.
Botched. Digital Image. EvolutionUSA.com. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.
Frank, Priscilla. "ORLAN Talks Plastic Surgery, Beauty Standards And Giving Her Fat To Madonna.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 29 Jan. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.
"Patient Stories: Reconstructing Lives." Reconstructing Lives Blog. PlasticSurgery.Org, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.
Plastic Surgery Procedures. Digital Image. FoxBusiness.com. Web. 25. Apr. 2015.
Rose, Barbara. "Orlan and the Transgressive Art." Orlan: Is It Art? Stanford Web, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.
Vesna, Victoria. “Medicine Pt3.” UCOnlineProgram. YouTube. 22 Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2015
I agree with the point that you made that plastic surgery generally has a negative connotation within our society. People commonly think of plastic surgery to enhance a specific body part but most importantly is only done by those who have money. Arguably it is a social statement made by the upper class, but as you had pointed out as well as the professor, the procedure was originally done to fix traumatic injuries during wars. Orlan pushes the boundary and perception of plastic surgery in her art. Some people go under the knife to look beautiful, but Orlan recreates beauty in a different sense with her art.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both of you about how critical today's opinions about plastic surgery is. The fact that it was originally used for injury during wartime got me thinking about how Orlan got her start. Apparently, her first major surgery (and inspiration for her art) was due to an ectopic pregnancy. She stayed awake and recorded the surgery but it wasn't until after she viewed it that she knew she had something to work with [Link here: http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2009/jul/01/orlan-performance-artist-carnal-art]. I find it intriguing that she decided to stay awake the first time although it helps to show how much she is interested in a connection with the body.
ReplyDeleteDissecting the connotation that plastic surgery has today can be really interesting. More often than not, plastic surgery is seen as superficial and for the type of people who care too much about their appearance. I feel that plastic surgery should not have that connotation; if it makes you feel better about your body you should do it. I don't agree that plastic surgery is feeding into the rituals of female submission, rather it is boosting self-confidence, something that affects every aspect of your life. In Orlan's case, it is not a self-confidence issue that prompts her plastic surgery, it is a curiosity to explore the canons of beauty through strong historical females. Her art is shocking and eye-opening and can be appreciated through many different lenses.
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