Women's Storied Objects Archive
Welcome. Take a seat at the table. This Women’s Storied Objects Archive is a poetic, dynamic, messy, hospitable space, filled with communicative objects made by the Storied Objects participants. Their objects are body image narratives, and the archive invites interpretation. That is not to imply that these narrative objects are fictional. Rather, they story the literature cited in my thesis. These storied objects, and the women’s words in my thesis, remind us that there are individuals behind the numbers and generalisations.
All photographs and artwork on this website (and the associated thesis) are taken by and are the copyright of the author unless stated otherwise. The copyright of the photographs of the original object illustrations and paper illustrations published on this website (and the associated thesis) remains with the author, and permission must be obtained to reproduce any image for non-commercial or commercial use. The illustrator-author retains copyright of participant objects, but does not claim authorship. Reproducing images of participant objects is not permitted.
Participant object #2 Theme: Valuation
The text reads: Do you reflect the right image?
Participant object #1 Theme: Valuation
The text reads: Enjoy me
Participant object #3 Theme: Valuation
The text reads: What’s your cup size? Right: What cup size are you?
Participant object #4 Theme: Valuation
The text reads: What cup size are you?
Participant object #5 Theme: Capital
The text reads: Hairless from the eyebrows down
Participant object #5 Theme: Capital
The text reads: Hairless from the eyebrows down
Participant object #6 Theme: Capital
Left: The lure of beauty. Be tough as fuck. Fair, Gemini, Stitchcraft, Stranger.
Participant object #7 Theme: Capital
The text reads: 10 products to achieve the ‘no make up’ make up look. Look at all these benefits! Total savings… -£7.70. Change due… £0.00.
Participant object #8 Theme: Capital
Participant object #9 Theme: Capital
The text reads: Live right and lose weight. The way they should be. Made to be broken.
Participant object #10 Theme: Capital
The text reads: Fallible.
Participant object #10 Theme: Capital
The text reads: I am the greatest mother fucker that you’ll ever meet.
Participant object #11 Theme: Capital
The text reads: (Central tail feather) Anyone mind if I have a cup of soup? It smells pretty good to me.
Participant object #12 Theme: Capital
The text reads: (Contour feather) Go ahead and pass the mug, answered Biggles. I’ve got a sort of empty feeling inside, too.
Participant object #13 Theme: Capital
The text reads: Nice and beautiful.
Participant object #14 Theme: Expenses
The text reads: I think wordly success is of minute importance in the long run...
Participant object #16 Theme: Expenses
The text reads: The Viper Shows his Hand
Participant object #17 Theme: Expenses
The text reads: Chapter Twelve. Distress Signal. I am missing for a moment, then escape the better girls. Where have you been? Problems abandoned come back.
Participant object #18 Theme: Expenses
The text reads: Hair up. Hair dunn. Longer. There’s always cracks. Beauty. Pain. Symmetrical. Curvy. Hairy women. Skinny. Be perfect. Needles. Bigger. Suck in.
This object was made by one of the supporting art therapists.
Participant object #19 Theme: Expenses
The text reads: Rare human specimen unspoiled by growing up, always natural. Modern elegance. Cosmetic surgery. Perfect. I couldn’t stop. Bad things happen to young women in this industry.
Participant object #19 Theme: Expenses
The text reads: Rare human specimen unspoiled by growing up, always natural. Modern elegance. Cosmetic surgery. Perfect. I couldn’t stop. Bad things happen to young women in this industry.
Participant object #19 Theme: Expenses
The text reads: Rare human specimen unspoiled by growing up, always natural. Modern elegance. Cosmetic surgery. Perfect. I couldn’t stop. Bad things happen to young women in this industry.
Participant object #20 Theme: Expenses
The text reads: Fountain of youth. Dear God, do plastic flowers make you mad? I would be if I made the real ones.
This object was made by one of the supporting art therapists.
Participant object #21 Theme: Expenses
Participant objects #22-24 Theme: Expenses
The text reads: Other providers. Botox is the most expensive substance on earth per GSM2. Botox map. £200* 3-4, 5-6 £200*, 7-8 Gummy smile? Downturned lips? £150-£400. 8 injections. 10 injections. Everyone will love you. I am your best friend. I’ll make your worries disappear, finally everyone will love you. Everyone will love you. I am a solution to your every problem. You got dumped, I’m here. Your mum remains distant, I’m here. Your dress doesn’t fit, I’m here. Comfort yourself with me. Your inner child will be at peace because she will finally be everything she ever wanted to be. Perfect. Finally. Everyone will love you.
Participant object #25 Theme: Expenses
The text reads: Beverley. In a safety pin dress, Beverley holds herself like a goddess. Five dots across her thighs marking the Ozempic injection site. She kisses her wrist to test her capacity. Beverley proclaims she can turn five cans of larger, into 18 loaves of bread and fills her font from days of chain smoking in bed. Macro-tracking is inefficient she says, when food is delivered through five millimeter pipettes. She says, when lovely, lonely and distressed. And distressed. She leads the lovely the hopeful and distressed
Participant object #26 Theme: Revaluation
The text reads: Faithfully, come up to the surface. Start discovering how beautiful.
Participant object #26 Theme: Revaluation
The text reads: Faithfully, come up to the surface. Start discovering how beautiful.
Participant object #27 Theme: Revaluation
The text reads: Freedom.
Participant object #28 Theme: Revaluation
The text reads: Empowerment.
Participant object #29 ThemeL Revaluation
The text reads: I’m having dreams. Very like the truth but different.
Participant object #30 Theme: Revaluation
The text reads: She certainly won’t feel down at heel, my lord.
Participant object #31 Theme: Revaluation
The text reads: One called Peter. One called Paul. Who loves you all over.
Participant object #31 Theme: Revaluation
The text reads: One called Peter. One called Paul. Who loves you all over.
Participant object #32 Theme: Revaluation
Participant object #32 Theme: Revaluation
Participant object #33 Theme: Investment
The text reads: Tiny Things. Baby.
Participant object #34 Theme: Investment
The text reads: Condition characterized by absence of moisture. Capacity for bodies having their shape changed by tension. Between her and your whaler.
Participant object #35 Theme: Investment
The text reads: Love. Hold steady.
Participant object #35 Theme: Investment
The text reads: Love. Hold steady.
Participant object #36 Theme: Investment
The text reads: This is me. Me.