PaperCity Magazine

January 2019- Houston

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37 T here is much to be said about sail- ing against the current — walking boldly into the crowd with an air of unusualness and nonconformity. This applies, of course, most com- monly to the world of fine art and its expected purpose of forcing us to rethink traditional notions of beauty. A classicist will define a work, perhaps, by its perfection of technique, or where it falls within traditional confines of what is pop- ularly considered beautiful. A more contemporary mind may broaden this definition, giving the label to objects and works that push our common perspectives into un- chartered waters, forcing even a moment of discomfort. But what say you of the physical world — the faces we see in magazines and on television, the visages we en- counter in our daily lives or in the multimedia worlds of fiction. Here, what can be said about beauty — and what, in the end, defines it. The human sphere, now, is one where uniformity has been traded for outlandishness; tradition ex- changed for disruption. One could argue that beauty, even in our decision to make up — or not make up — our faces, is more in the eye of the beholder than ever. Modern beauty, by definition, is subjective. And there is importance here: For pushing boundaries and redefining our visual palates has always been at the root of great art — and what better canvas for our creative pursuits than the face we put forth. Javier Marín's maquette for Cabeza de Hombre "Soplador II" (Head of Man "Blower II"), 2017, at Art of the World Gallery, Houston

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