Ben Woodeson

Ben Woodeson is a sculpture artist that created his works in virtual reality and then brings them to life in the real world. Sometimes this can be as simple as scrunching up paper then pouring wax on it, to creating something using a computer and covering it in glitter.

I really enjoy these glittery pieces, they demand attention and really standout in a white gallery.

While listening to Woodeson’s talk about this journey and his artwork, there was one thing he said that I got very attached to. He said: “I have been told that you can only be a girl if you use glitter” This quote kept rattling around in my brain for most of the seminar.

Throughout my life, growing to be a real artist, I have always, ALWAYS been told glitter is unprofessional… but why?!

What is it about glitter that makes a piece of work “childish” or “feminine”. I really admired what Woodson was trying to prove by covering his work in glitter, especially when he had never even used it before.

He described his work as angrily fragile as well having a sense of dangerous vulnerability and he loves it. Truly, I love it too, there’s something about a grown man being unafraid to use bright pink glitter on his work that I respect.

It made me start to think… Is that why male artists get praised in the industry… because they tap into their feminine side. I thought about it… would Monet, Picasso or any of the pre-Raphaelite brother-hood be as famous as they are now if they were women. I started to imagine these beautiful painting being painted by women, and they I imagined female paintings being painted by male artists. I realized there is something captivating about a male artist being vulnerable, it’s so rare or unexpected for a man to paint something delicate that they are praised for it when it is created. It doesn’t matter if a woman paints something delicate and beautiful, because she is a woman, that is what is expected of her.

I started to think, how could women win in this situation…

What if I paint… masculine… what would that even be? Would that even look good. If I could really nail it, surely it would capture some attention… but how does one… paint masculine?

That’s what I’m going to find out.