"Am I Pretty Yet?" Ellie Bick's thought provoking performance of "Silicone"

Ellie Bick's performance Silicone took place today at Rex Cafe. The audience watched as her hand delved in to a huge tub of silicone and smeared it all over her almost-naked body, whilst admiring the photographs of her 'idols' on the wall. She dyed her hair a tinge of yellow, applied fake eyelashes and bright blue eyeshadow before applying some pink eyeshadow on to her lips, showing the extreme lengths people will go to to 'make themselves pretty'. The audience watched, uncomfortably, as she tightly wound cello tape around her arms and legs as a reminder of how often people go out in an outfit or a pair of shoes that are 'just that bit too small', and how we are happy to feel uncomfortable in order to look 'pretty'. Before the end, Ellie asked the audience 'Am I pretty yet?', the answer was no. Her piece really brought home the saddening reality of people feeling unhappy with who they are and what they look like based on what society tells us is 'beautiful.'

We asked Ellie to comment on her performance and post answers to some of the questions asked by audience members. Enjoy!

Today I did my first ever performance art piece! For those of you who didn't see it, Silicone was about the body culture of today and its extremes, with me covering myself in Silicone gel, makeup and all manner of fake things in an attempt to make me “pretty”.

I was asked some questions about the piece, so I thought I'd answer them here...

“How often do you do this?”

Which bit? I don't often cover myself in silicone gel, but I do my nails about once a week and do my makeup every morning. How often do you do any of these things? Put chemicals in your hair? Stick bits of plastic to your eyelids? Even try and make your waist look smaller?

“Why are you doing this?”

To make a point. Don't get me wrong, I wear makeup and try to make myself appear more attractive, just like everyone else. But when does it go too far? By attempting to make myself “pretty”, I was a total mess by the end!

“What's so special about the women in your collage? Why do they have the right to say what is “pretty”?”

I don't think these women personally decide that they're attractive and that everyone should look like them, but that's what all the fashion mags decide. “Ooo have you seen her new hair?!” “Ooo isn't she pretty?!” “Ooo She's lost so much weight!”. Celebrities get all their best features emphasised, and all their worst photoshopped.

So who decides what's “pretty”? Do you?