"Interpretations"
Acrylic on canvas.
Nov 15, 2018
Mike Stewart
Today is Georgia O'Keeffe O'Keeffe's birthday so I decided to challenge myself to a quick painting.
I did a bunch of reading today about her and find her to be a fascinating individual.
While O'Keeffe is widely known as "the vulva painter," since her flowers look much like female genitalia, I learned only today that she really didn't like this notion and insisted that they were indeed flowers. She also didn't like being pigeonholed as the "best female painter" as that limited her into some kind of sub category and not on the list of simply "great painters." While she painted incredibly sensual images, her personality was tough as nails and much to be admired.
My model:
O'Keeffe's paintings of flowers have been interpreted as something other than the artist's intent based off of preconceived notions and basic visual clues picked up by the human eye of most viewers. Even when told, "They're flowers," many people simply wink and go on with their own ideas.
So too goes for my model.
I must explain.
Though at first inspection one might assume I'd painted a female, but in fact these are the genitalia of a trans man. These are what this person was born with (more or less with aging) and all appearances do tend to lead my simple eyes (and those of most people) to see "female," but I too am wrong. This person does not see themself as female. This person knows what they are and what they feel themself to be, just like we all do. I know I'm human. I know I am a man. I identify as both of these things with the faculties of self understanding that I hold.
Outside appearances can be deceptive to those who fail to look deeper. To ask. To communicate.
#georgiaokeeffe
#flower #transrightsarehumanrights #lgbtq #onelove #artistsoninstagram #mikestewart #painting #acrylicpaint
