Improving Aphrodite, Redux

[daphnep]

The main reason I was laughing at those plastic Venus statues way back when (rather than being truly horrified, as many readers were) was that I have a different contextual reference for this kind of fine-art-inspired schlock. Simply put, I see it all the time.

Today, I found another particularly horrifying batch of products I would like to share with you. They're Christmas ornaments. I want you to have a look. I want to show you that sometimes, an ugly art reproduction is simply that: an ugly art reproduction.

Yes, it's more appalling when among their many other faults, the repros uniformly thin out the women represented, but it's not deliberate, and the cries of conspiracy are still wasted, misplaced, and overblown.

Have a look at some other cultural "conspiracies":

First we start with a rather pretty "Starry Night" ornament. Starry Night is good, you can put that on practically anything, and people will buy it.

From there, however, things get a little more shifty. Here's a take on the old "Venus", coming up again. No cultural outrage to be found here, this Venus isn't skinny, she's just plain ugly, both her and the shell she rode in on.

And what have they done to poor Vincent Van Gogh? What sorts of political and cultural outrage does this ornament inspire? Or shall we just snicker and groan with horror, and move on?

If Vincent didn't make you laugh...there's always this one, titled "Sean C." You tell me, but I think they're trying to do Bond, James Bond.

So, no grand conclusions to be drawn. Just that ugly stuff abounds, and the range of crap that people will pay money for is really astounding, and I think some of it really deserves a proper mocking.

Comments

[amyceleste.livejournal.com]

Hee! You know, I'm sure these are actually very popular in shops in Austin. Lots of hipsters would buy them ironically.

(I'm sure that my preference for an austere, clean, uncluttered, minimally decorated look existed before I lived in Austin. Still, I can't say that Austin -- as much as I love the area -- made a good argument for lots of decorative objects.

I had a roommate, a woman that I love VERY dearly, who had *just* the bust of David painted with sky blue skin and rainbow colored hair. With sparklies. It was a prized possession.

Do you think that Van Gogh or Venus are supposed to appeal to the Austin hipsters?

[daphnep.livejournal.com]

No, I do not think appealing to irony was the intention. That it is the result, though, is perhaps inevitable.

I have more, though...whee, do I ever have more. (What a fun lunch break I've had.)

[waystar.livejournal.com]

I am such trash. *grin* I love anything with stylized stars and moons. You should see my pajamas. (Not Starry Night, just covered in stars.)

But I don't dare collect bits of stuff like that because I have 4 cats. And gravity.

[daphnep.livejournal.com]

Plus, they're $40. Kinda pricey, for a cat toy.

[rozae.livejournal.com]

HAHAHAHAHA. Oh dear. And I thought the John Deere ornaments were ugly. ;x