Sexy mom paintings include breastfeeding

[Janice in Canada]

what do you think of this art - is it lactivism?

http://www.canada.com/vancouvercouri...a-8ba0a8dcd9d5

Here's a few of her paintings on her Facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...id=10402942428

Janice

[Artichokie]

I personally think that it is the opposite of Lactivism. It makes working breasts sexual objects, which just feeds the objection to NIP that it is indecent exposure.

[AuntNi]

Jenn said what I've been thinking for a few years. It bugs me when nursing moms flaunt their cleavage. I love Mary-Louise Parker. But it bugged me when accepting some award, she was wearing a dress cut down to here, and in her acceptance speech, thanked her newborn baby for how great her breasts looked. I just cringed, because I feel like it does sexualize lactating breasts.

Of course, maybe I'm just taking it for granted, because I've always been well-endowed. Maybe for gals who get cleavage for the first time, it's a big deal and they want to show it off. I dunno.

[rere]

Well,when I was in college I made an etching that was an image of a woman on her side breastfeeding a baby.The woman was wearing a miniskirt and fishnet stockings.Even though at that time I already thought breastfeeding was the way to go it wasn't about lactivism to me.It was about accepting women for who they are.

And I found it really interesting to see who was disturbed by it and who thought it was beautiful.

[songbh]

I vote "not lactivism."

Sexual is one thing (and a good thing, IMNSHO.) Pin-up sexy is another thing. The women this artist paints (based on what I saw in the OP's links) are deliberately and unrealistically posed for the same-old-same-old male gaze that objectifies the woman. The point of pin-ups is the titillation of the viewer, not the fulfilled personhood and freedom of the woman portrayed.

There is sexuality within motherhood that has nothing to do with convincing the world that moms are "still" (as if any of us ever were) the same stereotypical sexy chicks presented by the media. I personally never found the pin-up look to be liberating or productive in my own sexual self-image; I can't imagine why it would serve that purpose for me once I have had a child. Of course, YMMV -- this is just my 2 cents on the subject.

[prothyraia]

The breastfeeding pieces are the some of the least offensive of the bunch, imo. What is with the mom jumping out of her kid's birthday cake, or riding the rocking horse behind him, or bending down to change the diaper? I find those *really* creepy.

[rere]

I have no idea where the artist is coming from but one way to look at is to point out that those pin up girls who people don't think about as people are not just pin up girls.I also think the paintings(?) point out how ridiculous the image of the sex object is.They look really ridiculous when you add the reality of life.

[Rhiannon Feimorgan]

Originally Posted by rere

I have no idea where the artist is coming from but one way to look at is to point out that those pin up girls who people don't think about as people are not just pin up girls.I also think the paintings(?) point out how ridiculous the image of the sex object is.They look really ridiculous when you add the reality of life.

This was my thought to. I have several artist friends who have used pin-up or comic book type images in an ironic way. I kind of see these as simmilar.

I like them.

[Quaniliaz]

Originally Posted by rere

those pin up girls who people don't think about as people are not just pin up girls.I also think the paintings(?) point out how ridiculous the image of the sex object is.They look really ridiculous when you add the reality of life.

I also agree with both of your points.

Furthermore, I don't think that women with "great" bodies should have to hide them anymore than those of us who have had a few babies and don't have nearly enough time to go to the gym.

Objectification is in the eye of the beholder - a woman in a bikini does not "deserve" to be objectified.

I like the artwork.

[Ruthla]

It's not my taste- I don't particularly enjoy her style of painting.

Is it lactivism? Well, it's normalizing breastfeeding, but at the same time it's sexualizing women's breasts in all the non-BF paintings.

[MyBoysBlue]

I think it would be different if the women looked like real women instead of having absurd Barbie doll figures. I can relate to some of the paintings and how to my husband I can look sexy doing very motherly things, even breastfeeding. And I agree some of them are creepy.

[captivatedlife]

I think they are cute. She's taken a genre that isn't typical of motherhood and had added moms to it. I agree that some of them are not MY style(bending down to change a diaper ???) but I wouldn't mind a few of them. Lactivism? I don't know. I don't even know what I would consider lactivism.

[kdubs_mom]

I see them as ironic. I'm not sure if it's lactivism or not.

I don't know about you other moms, but when I had my baby my priorities about looking sexy changed. There are more important things in life!

[nyxx]

Originally Posted by Quaniliaz

Objectification is in the eye of the beholder - a woman in a bikini does not "deserve" to be objectified.

I like the artwork.

:

another example for pinup lactivism is this tshirt:
http://www.lauravida.net/shop/tshirts.php
http://stores.ebay.com/Laura-Vida-Designs

[marisa724]

To me, one of the awesome things about breasts is that they're designed to feed babies, but they're also very sexual/sensual. Fun, AND functional! I enjoyed being busty before I had children, wearing clothing to 'show off' a little when appropriate, and I don't think I'm going to necessarily stop anytime soon (though I probably won't call attention to it on a televised award show). I'm sorry that other mamas are offended by that 'capitalizing' on BFing boobies... It certainly isn't my intention to make the act of BFing itself sexy, or to make other mamas uncomfortable (when we're all really on the same side).

I like her style a lot, but I can see where some of the subject matter is strange. The cake one in particular, I get what she's trying to say, but I feel like if you have to think too hard about her intentions then she's probably not conveying them properly, if that makes sense. I wonder if "Joe Average" is going to sit there and think about the irony and layers of meaning.

That said, I think it's great that she's got a fresh approach and that she's getting publicity -- I think overall her message is positive, and she's clearly child-centered and intelligent.

[Sonya77]

Originally Posted by nyxx

:

another example for pinup lactivism is this tshirt:
http://www.lauravida.net/shop/tshirts.php
http://stores.ebay.com/Laura-Vida-Designs

I absolutely love her work...I asked DH for one of those shirts for Christmas (just to wear at home...I might be arrested around here....) but I didn't get one...I think he thought it weird.

I think it's beautiful. I just might have to buy one myself!

[nyxx]

Originally Posted by Sonya77

I asked DH for one of those shirts for Christmas (just to wear at home...I might be arrested around here....) but I didn't get one...I think he thought it weird.

arrested??? that's a joke, right?

[the_lissa]

Originally Posted by marisa724

To me, one of the awesome things about breasts is that they're designed to feed babies, but they're also very sexual/sensual. Fun, AND functional! I enjoyed being busty before I had children, wearing clothing to 'show off' a little when appropriate, and I don't think I'm going to necessarily stop anytime soon (though I probably won't call attention to it on a televised award show). I'm sorry that other mamas are offended by that 'capitalizing' on BFing boobies... It certainly isn't my intention to make the act of BFing itself sexy, or to make other mamas uncomfortable (when we're all really on the same side).

I like her style a lot, but I can see where some of the subject matter is strange. The cake one in particular, I get what she's trying to say, but I feel like if you have to think too hard about her intentions then she's probably not conveying them properly, if that makes sense. I wonder if "Joe Average" is going to sit there and think about the irony and layers of meaning.

That said, I think it's great that she's got a fresh approach and that she's getting publicity -- I think overall her message is positive, and she's clearly child-centered and intelligent.

I agree and I love these paintings.