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Out: Boulder's Iron Maidens

Acrylic on Wood

RJ Molyneux-Davis, 2010

 

Discussion: While living in Boulder, my best friend was transgendered. Every morning, we shared coffee while watching the sun rise on the Flatirons, the distinctive mountain range in Boulder. Although mountains are generally associated with femininity because of the undulating form (most Latin languages assess feminine gender to the word), the Flatirons, with their upwardly-thrusting phallus shaped rocks, like my friend, possess both masculine and feminine characteristics. For my painting, I celebrate our mornings together, staring with the white background Manet experimented with on his canvas. I use the bold, rough brush strokes his later works employ, and, though my colors are more vibrant than his, I use darker tones, creating unnatural appearing shadows.  And, like his canvases, I play with the notion of gender, defying societal expectations. As Manet began experimenting with his new style, he relied upon his friends for support, including authors Zola and Baudelaire. I dedicate this canvas to my beautiful friend, TNG.

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.