Jessica Lagunas

Jessica Lagunas is a Guatemalan artist whose work focuses on her concerns about women in contemporary society. In video and photographic works like "Para besarte mejor" (The Better to Kiss You With"), "Para verte mejor" (The Better to See You With") and "Para acariciarte mejor" (The Better to Caress You With"), she explores women's obsessions with body image, beauty, sexuality and ageing. She says:

"Beauty routines of embellishment have been incorporated in our daily lives in such a way that we hardly notice nor question them anymore. In the name of beauty most women will put on makeup, do their hair and nails, depilate, diet, fix their noses and breasts. Although few women will reach society’s beauty ideals, many will sculpt their bodies as needed. 

In some video works I play along with women’s beauty rituals, performing them in exaggerated ways to reflect the pressures imposed by today’s society. The camera focuses on the part of the body where the action takes place: With repetitive gestures I apply makeup continuously for one or two hours, questioning our attraction to makeup and its power of seduction."

"The Better to Kiss You With"

"The Better to See You With"

"The Better to Caress You With"