A common thread in Sara Cwynar's work is her ongoing research into the effects of consumerism on subconsciously shaped beauty and lifestyle ideals and how these shape our self-image. Much of her work specifically focuses on the female consumer: from the cultural phenomenon of the New Woman of the turn of the nineteenth century until now. The exhibition title, S/S 23, is the usual designation for the new fashion season – in this case 'Spring/Summer 2023'. It refers to the trends that come and go, that keep pushing us to buy new products and conform to new ideals.
Like an anthropologist of our contemporary economy of endless choice, Sara Cwynar explores what the products, colors, and images are with which we constantly shape our lives and identities and how they change over time. Through her work, she encourages the viewer to go beneath the surface of capitalism and modern visual culture to discover what is ‘real’. The outcome is a detailed examination of the mechanisms that guide and determine our perception, making her work as seductive as it is disturbing.
S/S 23 is on view at Foam Amsterdam.
