Touch

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TABOOS

"Despite our passion, indeed our need, to touch and be touched, many parts of the body are taboo in different cultures." -Diane Ackerman


Statement:

I was intrigued by the idea that different cultures have different taboos. This painting depicts the women's body as a map showcasing the locations of each cultural taboo using small flags and showing how these cultures differ in their idea of acceptable touches. Ackerman discusses how, while in the United States, a man should not touch a woman breasts, buttocks, or genitals, in Japan he should not touch the nape of a woman's neck. In Thailand, a man would not touch the top of a girls head, and in Fiji, touching a girls hair is taboo.This painting also uses red handprints and streaks to depict how unwanted touches and taboos can get violent. The lack of any identifying characteristics and the covering of the women's mouth shows how this can ultimately leave women feeling as if they have been reduced to an object of enjoyment and that they can not share their experiences out of fear of being shamed and made to feel weak.

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