In 2006 MAC Cosmetics did some silly "tribute to the Chinese dress" - painting nude models to look as if they have exquisite dresses on. What a tired concept - Chinese dresses are exotic (yawn) Asian women are exotic (YAWN) and NUDE Asian women painted to look like they're wearing Chinese dresses are doubly exotic (burp). The only thing remotely interesting about this project is that it's so much work for something so temporary, but environmental sculptor
Andy Goldsworthy pretty much has the market share of THAT particular art concept, doesn't he? MAC Cosmetics brought their naked Asian, Asian American and Asian Canadian models painted like vases, fans and lily pads to Nordstrom San Francisco yesterday, which is what brought this whole annoying thing to mind.
Frankly, I'm sick of orientalism, sick of the exoticizing, sick of being exoticized, sick of being nothing more to corporate America than a lily pad or a cloisonne vase or a way to sell some fucking lipstick. I'm sick of the rigid box that Asian American women are shoved into - why are we always an immigrant, a whore, a laundry worker, a Chinese restaurant waitress or a self-hating banana holding hands with a white guy? That's all we are ever allowed to be. Oh, we can be medical students, too. Aww fuck it... I'm off to go comb my straight, dark bangs and, uh, start swinging some nunchucks around.
MAC Cosmetics' Chinese Dress
4 comments:
Hi!!
You have a nice blog and nice posts.
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Continue with your good blog.
Ricardo Pires
I know what you mean, but from a different perspective. As a latina-italian, I am expected to be roman catholic and demure around 'my man' and now that i'm divorced i am off the market because i'm damaged goods. I am a sexless creature left to play mama italia who cooks in the kitchen (which I do love, but please) and sit idly by while I only hope that I should be so lucky as to have a man pity me and marry me in my fallen state.
That said: the stereotypes you are battling are the verysame that were battled back in the 20's, 30's and 40's, so if i were to draw from history i'd say the chances are not good that this will go away. Which sucks.
grr.
I really want to write something profound here... but
I
can't
stop
laughing
oh gosh yawn yawn burb:)!
You rock (to quote BN).
What would I do without you?
You continue to articulate about things that have always or often bugged me; fauxrientalism is so stagnant and tedious. Can't marketing move on to something new? Asian beauty is undeniable, but can't it be featured (or incorporated) in a way that doesn't call up unfortunate racial weirdness?
Can't the concepts and businesses of beauty simply be more inclusive - and/or more simple?
"A way to sell some fucking lipstick": right on.
I know that this is not the reason why you blog, but I am proud of you and impressed with you everyday.
m
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