THE BLACK WOMEN
AESTHETIC
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BIOGRAPHY African American women have been the topic of discussion since the beginning of time. Their contributions are recognizable in every aspect of life. They have specifically influenced the fashion world: clothes, hairstyles, and nails. The Black Woman aesthetic is the reason influencers become influencers. I am an African American woman, which inspired me to represent our beauty. We are not recognized nearly as much as we should. A famous but eerie saying stated by Malcolm X “ The most disrespected person in America is the black woman.” I believe that they deserve so much more than just one monument, but this will be a start.
The monument will have five statues representing African American women in various shapes and sizes. The statues will be on an elevated platform. The monument is going to highlight the essence and raw beauty of the African American women. Each statue will be unique from the other. They will be ranging in melanin from dark chocolate to honey brown. Their shapes and sizes will range from very curvaceous and thick,to slim thick, to slim. The statues will be headless and have flowers blooming from them in replacement. The statues will have a mirror behind them, showing a reflection of each individual that interacts with the monument. The flowers “blooming’’ from them will be eternal gold flowers.
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THE VISION The flowers I envision are roses, daisies, hydrangeas, sunflowers, carnations, lilies, Each flower has been chosen based on their specific meanings. Lilies represent devotion or purity.Hydrangeas represent gratitude, grace and beauty. Carnations represent fascination, distinction, and love. Daisies represent innocence and purity. Sunflowers represent positivity, strength, and admiration. The flowers will be weather resistant gold. The significance of the gold will represent the melanin magic.The flowers growing from the heads will represent the timeless beauty that African American women exude. The location I choose on George Mason’s campus is in front of the Hub. I chose this location because this is where diversity is exuded the most on campus. I also chose this location specifically because of NPHC* being represented there as well. The second location I deem fit for The Black Girl Aesthetic monument is the botanicals garden located in Washington, DC. I chose the Botanical Gardens, because it is the epitome of nature’s beauty. What better place to honor the beauty of black women. *National Pan-Hellenic Council: a collaborative umbrella organization composed of historically African American Greek-lettered fraternities and sororities.*
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BLACK WOMEN DESERVE Black women embracing their beauty unapologetically is what the world needs more. Black women set the standard for what beauty is. This ranges from fashion to the body shapes they are born with. Woemn spend millions of money to embody the “aesthetic” of the black women. The black women aesthetic is glorified but black women are not given the credit. Women that are influenced by this aesthetic will claim to be the originators. This is one of the many reasons why I chose my monuement to highlight Black Women Aesthetic. My magazine showcases various beautiful black women doing what they do best. Displaying their melanin.
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THE ZINE
I hope you enjoyed these carefully curatred images. I specifically chose images that showed the black women aesthetic in various aspects. I displayed the aesthetic seen in the 90’s and 00’s. I then focused on black women in luxury. The acrylic nails chosen were unique while some resembled 90’s style tying the images together. The goal was to overwhelm the reader with the black women aesthetic. I specifically made collages to bring the zine to life.
Back Cover