"Pygmalion Effect XX" by Almudena Rodriguez

Extracting images, logos and slogans from popular culture, Almudena Rodriguez rearranges these disparate signs in an attempt to map out a single vision determined not by original context but through aesthetic thought. In a series titled "Pygmalion Effect," the artist explores the popular psychological idea that greater expectations lead to better performance, questioning how an artist can influence the viewer’s perception. A staring eye rivets the complex composition of "Pygmalion Effect XX," a work created with acrylic paint on hand-sewn fabrics that layers disparate images and messages. Representing the gaze of the other that shapes our notion of ourselves, the eye is surrounded by various images, words and extravagant brushwork that symbolize the desire to liberate oneself from gender stereotypes and societal expectations in order to fully develop as an individual.