“Having worked in marketing for 15 years, I’ve always been interested in the drivers that motivate people, many of which are dishonest at worst, or manipulative at best,” says Matthew Bird. “I saw this advertising campaign for women’s jeans on benches around Los Angeles. The image had been Photoshopped to a ridiculous degree — beyond the basic touch-ups that have become the norm. The model’s body was curved to an impossible angle. It’s an overly sexualized image, which would largely appeal to men, but is being used to sell a product to women, which will seemingly make them appealing to men.
“Too often, advertising uses the low hanging fruit of insecurities in an attempt to make women feel inadequate while at the same time distorting how men understand beauty. Without getting too philosophical, I was fascinated by the idea of this guy sitting there, completely uninterested in the marketing ploy, and thought it perfect for satirical commentary.”
Paint along with Matthew Bird, Linda Baker, Thomas Schaller, and other top artists from around the world at Watercolor Live!
Love the painting and totally agree with the rationale.
To me, a successful painting has a great story — and that includes having a mindful title. An influencial Canadian celebrity once said at a conference I attended “Never underestimate the power of story, no matter how small or seemingly inconsequential”.