The Beast's Monthly Mailbag Words The Wonderful People of the Eastern Suburbs Loving the March Cover DERRIERE DISTASTE The March cover, painted by a local female artist, depicting a rear view of a female surfer holding a surfboard while seemingly looking out to sea, has excited your critical correspondents in a variety of ways. On the one hand we have, “It is a beautiful image by an obviously skilled artist.” On the other, “It is ... a distorted image of the female body,” “...condescending, ugly, dirty, sexual and degradingly portrayed.” Other comments include “misogynistic,” “...featuring not even a woman’s face, just her bottom,” “...suggests and promotes ... rear and anal sex.” And, “...suggests dominance and entitlement.” To me, after a 79-year lifetime at Bondi and Bronte, the painting represents beach normality, however the subject’s bikini bottom is modest by comparison with the new vogue amongst younger beachgoers. What the image conveys to me is realisation of the significant participation by females in the joys of surfing; virtually non-existent in my youth, now being commonplace. It seems to me that those being critical ought to applaud this work of art as a celebration of growing female freedom and independence. Instead, the artist is bashed up by a vitriolic reaction. If my mind imagined that the image is condescending, suggests dominance, entitlement and also rear and anal sex, I would be worried about myself. Goodness
10 The Beast May 2021
knows what imaginations would be aroused in the critics’ minds by Michelangelo’s David or the famous and ancient statue of Venus de Milo. I think I would rather not know. What will be made of the April cover, which depicts a macho figure straddling an obviously unwilling and non-consenting horse? Greg Maidment Bronte KEEPING IT REAL Dear James - I was surprised to read the negative feedback related to the March cover of The Beast mag. It’s disappointing to see that we have more than a few hyper sensitive and prudish readers in our community, in a country where our beach culture is such a huge part of our national identity and appeal. Whilst a painting of a female hitting the surf in long sleeved overalls would have received less complaints, it wouldn’t have been very realistic, or comfortable for that matter. She probably would have drowned. Artists have been admiring the human form for centuries. Female muses were frequently fleshier in the past and this had nothing to do with the lack of kale smoothies, surfboards and the world wide web for health and fitness tips; it’s because this is the form that was considered more captivating for so long. I wonder if readers would have complained or covered their children’s eyes if the cover of the magazine was of The Birth of Venus? Is it wrong to admire a body
that looks like it is cherished and looked after by its owner? We appreciate a far more diverse range of bodies now than ever before, in my humble opinion. There was a comment made that “the only way to stop men from objectifying women is to stop glorifying images such as this”. The female and male forms have been glorified for all of time. So they should be. They are all we really ever physically have from the cradle to the grave. They are the bare and beautiful overt reflection of both our individuality and commonality as human beings. A healthy attitude or respect towards human forms runs far deeper than what we celebrate as art. This is established through values and belief systems instilled through our parenting and education systems. If we feel threatened by a painting of a female surfer with a perky bum used on the cover of a coastal magazine then perhaps there is a personal feeling of inadequacy or insecurity that should be explored. This is my two cents’ from a fellow female. I am proud to see a local up-and-coming artist being celebrated and this was a fun, playful and cheeky magazine cover. The Beast mag, I think you would have gained more readers than the two you lost through publishing this edition. Well done Yasmin! I can’t wait to see more of your work. Kinga Coogee A LETTER TO THE OFFENDED Dear James - I was extremely shocked to read the readers’ comments on the March cover. I was highly surprised that a beautiful painting of a woman in a bikini, facing the ocean and holding a surfboard, triggered such adverse, almost allergic reactions. In the painting, as in some of the other artworks from the artist, I can see a portrait of a free, sexy and unapologetic woman. Some claimed the image was degrading and offensive. Since when has a beautifully chiselled body been considered offensive? Should we
