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DIVERSITILE

2023 A Real Woman

Eri Maeda

Eri Maeda
Diversitile

DIVERSITILE

2023 A Real Woman

Eri Maeda

Medium:

Digital and printed billboards

Displayed:

UK-wide, July - August 2024

Artwork Description:

With Diversitile, Eri Maeda elegantly showcases varied female forms to create a poignant critique of societal beauty ideals, encouraging women to look at themselves in a new light, and inviting the viewer to think about how women perceive themselves, and are perceived.

With each tile representing the bust of a differently shaped woman, Maeda cleverly plays with the idea of the perfect body, whilst also exploring the breast’s position as a fundamental symbol of womanhood – whether for trans women who may desire them, trans men for whom they may feel foreign, for those who wish theirs were larger or smaller, for those who may have undergone mastectomies.

As well as highlighting the complexities of identity, and celebrating differences, the artist reminds us that we are all part of a community – unique individuals who are stronger when connected and supporting each other, just like the tiles in her work.

Artist's Comment:

I'm used to following rules and lacked my own opinion, but working with clay changed that. Now, I challenge society's norms through my art and I'm asking tough questions.

Bio:

Eri Maeda (1989, Aichi, Japan) is a Japanese artist based in Paris. She uses ceramic art to challenge societal norms and promote acceptance. Her work fearlessly explores taboo subjects like mental health, sexual health and toxic standards, sparking crucial conversations. Through hand-built techniques, each piece conveys depth and meaning, inviting viewers to discuss silenced issues.

Exhibited in Paris, Milan, and Stockholm, Maeda’s art serves as a bold call for societal change and embraces the true essence of self-expression.

Curator's Comment:

Eri uses the breast, a part of the body inextricably linked with womanhood, to question the very notion of femininity as dependent on particular physical attributes. By presenting breasts of different shapes and sizes, some altered or removed because of life-saving surgery, she cleverly highlights and celebrates physical diversity. By representing different female forms as interconnected tiles, she also reminds us that we are part of a wider community, and stronger together.

About

Eri Maeda

Eri Maeda
Links:
About the artist
The Gallery
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