The power of art lies in its ability to challenge and transform societal norms, to provoke thought and spark meaningful conversations.
I had the ideea for this concept from long time, wanting to create a piece that would challenge the toxic beauty standards that are imposed on us and promote body positivity. The mural was made in collaboration with Kero, each of us using our skills to bring this idea to life.
Saddly, the mural was soon censored by the very people who had commissioned it. They deemed the plus-size body to be inappropriate and disturbing, not fit for public display. They refused to see the beauty and strength in a body that did not conform to their narrow ideals of beauty.
It was disheartening to see how their toxic mentality had blinded them to the message that we were trying to convey. We were trying to normalise different body sizes and promote body positivity, yet they saw it as something "ugly" and inappropriate. Instead of embracing diversity and inclusivity, they chose to perpetuate harmful beauty standards.
To make matters worse, they paid another artist to paint over our mural without our approval or respect for our work. They even used my pattern in the new design, covering only the shape of the body, as if to make a statement about their own narrow-minded beliefs.
Despite the censorship and disrespect, our message lives on. Our mural was a testament to the beauty and strength in all body sizes, and I will continue to fight against toxic beauty standards and promote body positivity through our art. We will not be silenced or erased, for our message is too important to be censored.
