Rozeal's afro.died, T. -- Confronting Proscribed Images for Women
Art of the Week from the Alliance for Sustainability
By Sofia Roberson, Alliance Intern from Reed College, ‘25
In afro.died, T., artist Rozeal beautifully depicts the disorder of what it feels like to be a woman subjected to a constantly evolving set of beauty ideals. During a trip to Japan, Rozeal was inspired to create an artwork evocative of ganguro style, whereby women counter traditional beauty standards by wearing skin-darkening makeup, dyeing their hair blonde and wearing their nails long. She does this to demonstrate the forms of resistance women of color use against societal standards and the various ways women are exploring their 21st century identities.
The pose of the woman in the artwork is the same as 19th century Japanese ukiyo-e prints that often depicted geishas, female entertainers who dress up in traditional Japanese beauty style and host at teahouses. This aspect of the artwork touches on how, historically, women have been able to find employment primarily in roles as entertainers or objects of desire. The unpleasant expression on the woman’s face as she combs her hair demonstrates what it feels like to always have to present a certain way in order to be taken seriously.