Karen Mainenti
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Recent Work Drawing Sculpture Gold Leafing Painting Collage Printmaking Mixed Media
2019 Ground Floor Gallery 2019 SPRING/BREAK Art Show 2018 Bard Graduate Center 2014 DUMBO Arts Festival
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Work Recent Work Drawing Sculpture Gold Leafing Painting Collage Printmaking Mixed Media Exhibitions 2019 Ground Floor Gallery 2019 SPRING/BREAK Art Show 2018 Bard Graduate Center 2014 DUMBO Arts Festival PressEventsAboutCVContactShop
Karen Mainenti

Objects of Desire

This series was inspired by flipping through the pages of vintage LIFE magazines and realizing that while stereotypical notions of femininity feel so dated, at the same time they are parallel to the standards by which women continue to measure themselves by today. This led me to use gold leafing on images excised from 1950s beauty advertisements to highlight the hairstyles, bras, nails, lips and cosmetics that were featured so frequently then (and now). I also use gold leafing to isolate and recontextualize advertising messages as a way to highlight that irresistible trifold marketing promise: beauty, youth and perfection.

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Loveable Spandex Girdles

Loveable Spandex Girdles

Gold leafing on vintage advertisement, 9.75 x 9.75in, 2018

We Dare You to Run These Panties (Spun-Lo)

We Dare You to Run These Panties (Spun-Lo)

Gold leafing on vintage advertisement, 9.25 x 9.5 in, 2018

If Nature Didn't (Warners Will)

If Nature Didn't (Warners Will)

Gold leafing on vintage advertisement, 11.25 x 10.25 in, 2018

The Freshest, Youngest Feeling in the World (Yardley)

The Freshest, Youngest Feeling in the World (Yardley)

Gold leafing on vintage advertisement, 9.25 x 9.25 in, 2018

The Fabled Fragrance So Elusive It Took A Generation To Capture (Possession)

The Fabled Fragrance So Elusive It Took A Generation To Capture (Possession)

Gold leafing on vintage advertisement, 10.5 x 9.25 in, 2018

The Lift that Never Lets You Down (Perma Lift)

The Lift that Never Lets You Down (Perma Lift)

Gold leafing on vintage advertisement, 13 x 12 in, 2018

Comfort Is A Family Affair (Spun-Lo)

Comfort Is A Family Affair (Spun-Lo)

Gold leafing on vintage advertisement, 6.75 x 4.75 in, 2018

Beauty Parlor

Beauty Parlor

Gold leafing on advertisement, 6.75 x 4.75 in, 2018

Seamless, Full-Fashioned (Silf Skin)

Seamless, Full-Fashioned (Silf Skin)

Gold leafing on vintage advertisement, 6.75 x 4.75 in, 2018

Living Bra (Playtex)

Living Bra (Playtex)

Gold leafing on vintage advertisement, 5 x 9 in, 2018

Have you lost touch with your skin?

Have you lost touch with your skin?

Gold leafing on paper, 25.5 x 19.5 in, 2019

You can actually feel yourself becoming more beautiful!

You can actually feel yourself becoming more beautiful!

Gold leafing on paper, 25.5 x 19.5 in, 2019

Reincarnate Your Beauty

Reincarnate Your Beauty

Gold leafing on paper, 25.5 x 19.5 in, 2019

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Loveable Spandex Girdles
We Dare You to Run These Panties (Spun-Lo)
If Nature Didn't (Warners Will)
The Freshest, Youngest Feeling in the World (Yardley)
The Fabled Fragrance So Elusive It Took A Generation To Capture (Possession)
The Lift that Never Lets You Down (Perma Lift)
Comfort Is A Family Affair (Spun-Lo)
Beauty Parlor
Seamless, Full-Fashioned (Silf Skin)
Living Bra (Playtex)
Have you lost touch with your skin?
You can actually feel yourself becoming more beautiful!
Reincarnate Your Beauty

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