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Sunday, May 01, 2005

Some thoughts on Cosmetic Surgery.

I have been off with a bout of `flu, all tucked up warm in my cosy bed, but I saw too much TV, too many chat shows, Cosmetic Surgery shows.....an endless stream of people who hate their own bodies.
Most of them looked just fine, but each had a shopping, wish-list of `quick-fix`, off-the-shelf operations. The fact that they look just fine before any operation suggests something pretty obvious. Their problems are not physical, but psychological, and operations will not solve their problems on a long-term basis.
Anyone who already is unhappy with their perfectly fine, healthy body right now will certainly not be able to handle their body growing old.
It`s like some psychological disease sweeping the so-called `developed` countries.
In less econonomically developed countries, they have far more relevant and pressing issues, like getting water, food, shelter, education for their children, and just staying alive.

We are so lucky in the west, but don`t we just still love to whine!

And because we are in the age of consumerism, we are so trapped in the concept of self. Self is the big marketplace.

You just somehow won`t be able to live unless you`ve had that Tummy-tuc, that Lipo-suction, that Nose-job, or those Breast Implants or Penis Augmentation.

Look, I have nothing against Cosmetic Surgery, it has helped a lot of people....but it has hurt a lot of people too.

What scares me the most is the HIVE mentality. This desperate need to conform...in fact, the big push to make people conform.
You see all these women on TV shows and magazines...if you stood them all in a long line, they all look the same. It`s like watching some horrific alien illness.
Conformity.
I love the Human Body, I love the way it comes in all shapes and sizes and a stunningly beautiful range of tones. It`s the differences that make us so interesting, so desirable to each other.
As an Artist, I have to look at the details of the Human body, how it moves, tilts, shifts, hangs in different poses and activities.
In it`s natural form, it is truly beautiful.
For example, you can spot Breast Implants a mile off. They just don`t move right. They don`t flatten out properly when you lie down, and almost always, you see the contour line of the Breast implant under the skin, as if there`s a flying saucer trapped in there.
Yep, Breasts are becoming saucer-shaped. (Although some look like malformed melons, or various interesting other varieties of Fruit!!)
Convincing yourself that these look natural is like an anorexic looking in the mirror and thinking they look fat.
If you`re going to do it, if you`ll simply `die` without Cosmetic Surgery, at least remember that you`re body is a living growing part of you, and it will continue to change shape and texture throughout your life....whether you like it or not.
Best to get used to that now.
And all you guys out there, bigger isn`t always going to work in your favour!
There are a lot of females out there who will look at it, say, "Yep!..That`s big all right...but you sure as Hell aren`t bringing that near me!"
Life is about different Horses for different Courses.
And anyway sweeties, it certainly isn`t the size that matters.....it`s what you do with it!!!
You could be the biggest guy on the block, and still be crap in bed!
Your skill as a lover is what counts, this is the real Art form, and size has nothing to do with it.

Go over to your mirror...take off all of your clothes..don`t be bashful sweeties, naked is good.
Look at yourself...no...I mean REALLY look at yourself. Look at yourself from all angles, touch your skin, feel your flesh.
Look at how your muscles move under your skin, move your joints to feel how your bones move.
Don`t just get to know it, get to love it........your body is truly amazing.
This body has carried you faithfully all these years, a living breathing part of you.

Don`t ignore it, it is a thing of great beauty.
All I`m really saying is be yourself, don`t conform..........and if you`ll die if you don`t conform.... well at least don`t become a caricature!

14 comments:

Jego said...

Penis augmentation. Ouch!!

I went through a phase when I thought my pee-pee wasnt... um... adequate. Until I saw Michelangelo's David, probably the greatest piece of sculpture ever. After that, I thought I was allright. Thanks, Micky. :-D

J.H. said...

Well now...I like my body, but can't I just have a little itsy bitsy surgery?

I've always wanted to have a flat stomach...Please ?

:) - Do you think 2 Sagitarians get along? Man...I should have went your route...and become an artist...Love your work...

Although I guess, being an author is a form of art...art of the mind?

Jenn

Zeppellina said...

Hi jego, good to hear from you again,
saw the penis augmentation op on TV.......couldn`t watch.....eeeek!!!!
Like you, I love the work of Michelangelo, my favorite piece is the Pietta.Have you read `The Agony and the Ecstacy`? Fabulous read.

Zeppellina said...

Hi there j.h.,
Hmmmm!.....oh..go on then...just an itsy-bitsy bit!!
Although, been on your site...strikes me you probably don`t need it...!
Of course Sagitarians get along! We are gregarious! We love to communicate!
Being an author is being an artist!
Thanks for your lovely comments on my
work, hope to hear from you again.

Jego said...

Havent read Agony and the Ecstacy. Irving Stone, right? I'll go look for a copy in my favorite used-books store. :-)

Pieta is a great piece. Did you see the Passion of the Christ? Mel Gibson recreated the Pieta at the end, but with a lot more blood.

D.Macri said...

Helllo,
I found your site by linking from a comment. I am pleased to see other artists are using this blog format.
I think your completely acurate when you connect sensuality and art. The grace with which you render your subject is of equal or greater importance than any other aspect of the work.In consideration of the 'other' aspects, I would like to comment on the conceptual parts.
When you talk about plastic surgery and physical self consciousness, I wonder where does that come from? I think when we question proportions it's because we have such rigid examples to compare it to. Art is responsible in many ways for being the point of comparison. Many early cultures, derived ideal human proportions based on all sorts of things (eg:Averages, health indicators, sexiness, and survivability). Today our ideals are too narrow, we have a rapidly homoginizing super-culture that dictates through mainstream media what we should look/live like. Notice how afraid everyone is? Who dosen't have tooth bleach in there cupboards these days?
It's good to know that there are people who don't just accept this without question. It's seems (Westerners) North Americans are too tightly wrapped in swaddling to notice anything wrong.
I wish you the best of luck, and will check back to see if you unwrap anything new.

Zeppellina said...

Hello there macro, thanks for visiting my site...good comments!
Did Art help influence and shape physical preferences of the time, or did it merely replicate those preferences?
Did Titian help cause women to have larger proportions, or did he just paint the already voluptous women of his time?
Although in Titians case, we know he prefered fuller figures as a sexual preference.
Certainly, in the early stages of cultures, fuller figures were preferable, body weight suggesting a better ability to survive cold and famine. Thin women may well have been seen as a poor genetic risk.
Different time periods portray different proportions as a prefence...the 1920`s potrayed slim as the ideal, the 1950`s as a fuller more rounded figure.
There is no doubt that, for many years now, womens` physical proportions have been media-led.
As we now have a global media, we also have a global image of what is perfect.
This, of course, is a bad thing. Humanity eveolved into beautiful shapes, sizes and colours, and we should adore the differences, as it is what makes us interesting as a species. The differences also give our species a higher survival rate.
The differences make us attractive to each other.
People have always tried to change bits of their physical appearance from day one...fortunately, until now..we didn`t have the ability to do it on a whim, and by such large numbers of people wanting to make major changes.
....and all working from a such a small handful of templates.
We have to keep the differences...they are what make us beautiful!
Love to see you back at the site...I`m usually wrapping or unwrapping something at the moment!

Zeppellina said...

Hi Jego!

No, I confess I haven`t seen the Passion of the Christ....not sure if I`m going to yet? Can`t quite put my finger on it, but I haven`t been able to bring myself to watch it.
I have a lot of friends who have seen it...and it seemed to have quite an impact on them...didn`t realise he had re-created the Pietta...but it makes sense in terms of visual impact.
I love the serenity of the sculpture...the emotion trapped in the silence..a grief that can only be watched, but, as an observer, never truly participated in.
Did you manage to get a copy of the agony and the ecstasy? You must let me know what you think...
Look forward to seeing you back for more chats!

Anonymous said...

Isnt' t it true that alot of nude male sculptures had little penises, because large penises were condidered ugly and barbaric ?(gives new meaning to 'hung like a centaur')

Zeppellina said...

Hi Anon,
Not sure that that`s totally the case.....in art, male bodies were generally seen as being the height of beauty, with female bodies seen as being 2nd place....
But there has always been a form of censorship there too...even today, it is acceptable to have full body shots of women on TV and movies...but not men....
Perhaps they think it will give women ideas....?!!
Who knows!

Justine said...

Thanks for that lovely post!
Hope you don't mind if I make a lengthy comment (its to make up for my lack of penis, don't you know).

Macro - I do not have tooth bleach in my cupboard, and I don't believe I know anyone who does! Teeth are naturally different colours, and if you try to whiten them, its done by taking off the enamel and exposing the dentine (which does not grow back). If you lose enough, you'll get sensitivity and a 'zinging' pain. Keep smiling though :-)

Jego - FYI my brother is a keen follower of all things Christ, and he told me that according to the bible Jesus got 30-something lashes, but in Gibson's Passion he counted 100-and something.

Zeppellina said...

Hi there Justine!

Have to confess, I don`t have any tooth bleach either....
I`m pretty comfortable with my own body, and I`m comfortable about the idea of growing older...put it this way...we can`t stop it, so we may as well enjoy it!!
Still haven`t been able to watch Passion of Christ either..not sure I can!!
Thank you for being here, Justine, hope you`ll drop in again.

Zeppellina said...

Hi again Don!

So you`re on the archives trail!
Yes, I enjoyed this post! Gave me an opportunity to rant a wee bit about plastic boobies and other bits like those big plumpted up lips!
I enjoyed your bit on masturbation, I have to say! It was good fun!

Dragonsbane said...

I can't imagine cosmetic surgery either. Maybe because I never thought of myself as be handsome, the thought of getting older doesn't frighten me into cosmetic surgery, or other things to deny getting older. I'm mostly bald, and I never considered long hair comb overs, or implants, or rogaine. I don't have teeth whitening powder either. I do believe in trying to stay in shape, practising Yoga when I can, studying aikido, because it will help me through life. Self improvement/maintenence of the package rather than the wrapping as it were. Maybe because I'm an engineer by trade, I value function over form.