Beth Grossman
The Ideal Woman
Acrylic on vintage exercise machine
2004
“The Ideal Woman” is part of my First Comes Love series which explores the myth of the middle-class American Dream. First Comes Love is based on my personal experience as a wife, mother and artist. This body of work plays with traditional gender roles in middle-class family life that limit both men and women as they attempt to reconcile the myth of the American Dream with the reality of day-to-day life.
Using found, domestic objects that are coded with cultural meaning and gender stereotypes, I transform the objects with images and text to give insight into the narrative of quotidian life. My hope is that this artwork will generate discussion about the ways we keep ourselves isolated and silent on issues that are important to us. http://www.bethgrossman.com/gallery/firstcomelove/
I am a social practice artist, whose visual art and participatory performances are welcoming points of entry into the ongoing dialogue about interpretation of history and religion, our place in nature, and the power of social beliefs. I collaborate internationally with individuals, communities, local governments, universities, corporations, non-profits and museums to raise awareness, build community and encourage public participation.
