Pink Plastic

Pink Plastic is a life-size sculpture of a bikini clad woman on a pool floaty. The piece is made from solid steel bar, powder coated in pink and is exceedingly heavy; yet, like the figure, the sculpture projects a false narrative, suggesting light-weight buoyancy. The woman poses with one leg slightly raised and an arm propped behind her head in a seductive pose as if modeling for a camera, the piece suggests superficiality in the absence of content beyond the immediate image presented.

The title Pink Plastic references the plastic of the pool floaty, the sun glasses and the plastic quality of collagen injected lips and augmented breasts. The entire sculpture is coated in the same color emphasizing a unity between objects and figure while retaining a sense of plastic throughout.  Pink is the color of bubble gum—air-filled sugar banality. The pink hue alludes to an overt sense of commercialized sexuality like a glossy polished sex toy. Pink is rare in nature, it is not part of the electromagnetic spectrum, it must be created through the addition and subtraction of blue and yellow. The color pink is as manufactured as the pool floaty and persona of the figure it supports. 

In the 18th and 19th century pink was used to suggest sexuality in works such as Fragonard’s “The Swing” or Degas’ pink dancers, and in the 20th century in works such as Warhol’s pink “Marilyn”, yet the subjects portrayed in these historically significant works retain their individuality.

Pink Plastic is playful and toy-like while suggesting a subtext of self-imposed sexual commercialization. The work portrays a social esthetic of personal relevance and significance though superficial display. The sculpture while fun and playful is devoid of solid form and identity calling into question broader cultural values.