Artist Statement
From the time we are children, everything we consume reinforces what is expected of us and what we can expect from the world. Women are not a statistical minority, yet we are marginalized.
The process of enculturation maintains and perpetuates gender norms. Children spend their time learning the rules and expectations of the culture they are born into. They observe their surroundings to gain information about their place. Increasingly, this process occurs via forms of mass media including television, consumer products, and the Internet.
This learning process continues into adulthood. We learn our culture from the things we consume, regardless of whether one is consuming princess toys, video games, or Pinterest wedding boards.
I take cultural materials and repurpose them. I create videos, installations and 2-D works from mass culture detritus including YouTube videos, children’s stickers, and teen posters. In reconfiguring these materials and creating new forms, I question their purpose and subvert the intended messaging.
Instagram: @malenabarnhart





