VISU Extra Credit 2

Paloma Smith, who goes by the Instagram pseudonym “octoplum” is sculptor, artist and designer, who uses her cross-genre expertise in her media as a means of communicating feminist ideas. Her work is astoundingly detailed – from her lovely drawings to her full-body sculptures, she does not shy away from nudity – in fact, she embraces it. Her work is meant to emphasize all the odd things about human bodies that are too often criticized or condemned. Her work tends to feature people with body types that are looked down upon in society – bodies with fat rolls, stretch marks, cellulite,  etc. She makes sure to include such specific details in her work to emphasize that none of these things are meant to be ashamed of – her work showcases the beauty in all these things.

Paloma Smith

Additionally, her work is meant to make certain types of people uncomfortable – and then make them question what it is about this natural human form that does that to them. She has a series of pins that she sells on her etsy store which are silky nipples –made from ceramic in a variety of skin tones and nipple types – some pierced, some not. She also custom makes then for the skin tone of buyers – encouraging them to pin them on their shirts or jackets in a way that looks like their actual nipple is out on display. In doing this, she is supporting the “free the nipple” movement – specifically, questioning what it is about this part of the body that is considered so offensive. Her work receives greatly mixed reviews, but its quality cannot be disputed.

https://www.instagram.com/octoplum/?hl=en

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Octoplum

 

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