STATEMENT
In Beauty and Race I am examining how the Western European definition of beauty affects women’s self identity and self-image; the consistent idealization, objectification and over sexualized images from the media bombard women everyday. Consequently, women are altering themselves physically and psychologically and becoming disjointed and fragmented to fit into this unrealistic model.
BIO
Mira Gandy is a New York based visual artist whose paintings, collages, and installations, examine issues related to women, identity, beauty, race, history and their intersection in media and culture. Gandy studied at the American University in Paris, France and holds a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree from the University of Southern California Roski School of Art and Design where a Black Alumni Scholarship was created in her honor. Gandy has over 15 years of teaching experience in personal art instruction with youth and adults of all ages and is the recipient of the 2012 National Action Network Woman of Excellence Award for her advancement of women and children in the community.
Gandy’s work has been shown in numerous exhibitions and galleries including: Flux Fair Public Art Projects, Harlem, New York; Rio III Gallery, Harlem, New York, Dwyer Cultural Center, Harlem, New York; La Maison d’art Gallery, Harlem, New York; Knox Gallery, Harlem, New York; Advocate & Gochis Galleries, Los Angeles, CA; The Fisher Gallery, Los Angeles, CA; William Grant Still Arts Center, Los Angeles, CA. She has been featured on WABC -TV’s Here and Now, on NY1, Sirius XM Radio and her work is owned by actors Sam and Latanya Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, Phylicia Rashad, playwright David Mamet, actress/singer Audra McDonald, singer/songwriter Valerie Simpson and costume designer Emilio Sosa among others.
