♡♥kawaii feminist artist spotlight: Arvida Bystrom♥♡

 Ardorous is an online showcase for women’s art curated by Petra Collins. Each artist or group using their own stylistic choices to express ardor, or passion. The art in this showcase often critiques the idealistic beauty standard that society pressures women to live up to.

Arvida Bystrom is a Sweedish photographer who emphasizes this theme with a internet twist! Many of her works revolve around the sadness evoked from young girl’s dependency on technology. By wrapping her message in a pretty pastel package, this critique on modern femininity speaks to the masses of women who feel they can’t measure up to societal standards.

Arvida Bystrom self portrait

 Always plugged in, the feminine ideal is impossible to ignore, as seen in Bystrom’s photo-series “depression calls.” 

from "depression calls"

“icry” is another photo-series that shows the feelings of sadness evoked from excessive use of social media and technology. As in many of her works, Bystrom uses “gifs” a repeated cycle of video that loops over her images. The Apple logowith a “wordpad” style sad face inside of it flashes over the images of men and women on their phones. Criticizing the web for causing more harm than good at times. It is also a commentary about capitalism and raising the Apple company to a godlike state.

from "icry"

Bystrom also did a photo-series on women menstruating featured in VICE magazine (“there will be blood”)while doing everyday things, as periods have become a taboo secret in our society. They are only used as an excuse for being in a bad mood, or to blame for “irrationality.” This series shows the normality of a period as the subjects are relaxed and seemingly going about their days.

from "there will be blood"

Lastly, her “lolita” photo-series shows the inverse of what a Lolita is considered to be. With hairy armpits, legs and pubic region her subjects are relaxed and still in feminine trappings of nail polish and two-piece bathing suits.

from "lolita"

Arvida embraces and fears the online platform. She is happy with the online success she received, but is not interested in cyber fame. The internet was a great way for her to get her work out on an international level. Most of her work and fans do remain online, but because of the art collective the Ardorous she was able to get connections into the real world, Tavi Gevinson’s Rookie Magazine, as well as VICE. More exposure to come, but she has been praised by her legions of online followers speaking  directly to online culture and the girls that consume it.

https://twitter.com/arvidabystrom
http://www.thelesigh.com/2013/08/girl-spotlight-arvida-bystrom.html
http://arvidabystrom.se
http://www.theardorous.com/works/arvidabystrom/