Self-portrait of Vanessa Beecroft in the medium of performance

Abstract

Vanessa Beecroft is a contemporary artist of Anglo-Italian origin, whose work is associated with the USA. She currently lives in Los Angeles. After studying painting at the Accademia Ligustica di Belle Arti in Genoa (1987-1988), she completed her studies in Stage Design at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan. Her artistic expression in the medium of performance is based on the direction of live visual compositions, in which she combines elements of theatre, painting, sculpture, architecture, and fashion, interpreted through the lenses of feminism and voyeurism. The central focus of her work is the staged live images of naked female figures with sculptural forms, presented in a Renaissance perspective. These reflect her quest for identity and finding harmony in her own body. The models are mannequins, (un)dressed, motionless, and distant elements of a precisely composed image, which become the archetype of the female figure in the artist's performances. The themes that preoccupy her include the female body, nutrition, gender, racial determination and belonging, as well as current political issues. Despite being considered brilliant, her performances have also been interpreted as disturbing, sexist, superficial, and bordering on racism, due to the actions she takes during the creation process and her statements in the media. Assuming that Vanessa Beecroft's artistic expression is a reflection of her subconscious processes transposed into performance from the role of director, this work aims to examine the facts that show that the problems of contemporary society that preoccupy Beecroft in her work are inseparable from her personality, origin, upbringing, fears, and challenges she faces since early childhood. Therefore, the contradictory views in the critique of Beecroft's performances arise from the interpretation of her work in the context of social phenomena and political (in)correctness, ignoring her search for her own identity. A comparative approach follows Beecroft's work in the medium of performance in relation to her biographical data, statements, and publicly available documentary material.

Keywords

• beecroft
• performance
• female body
• nude
• identity
• self-portrait