Lowering+the+Bar

=by CJ Shepard=

beau·ty
//noun// \ ˈ byü-tē\ //plural// **beauties**

Definition of //BEAUTY//
1 **:** the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit **:** [|loveliness] 2 **:** a [|beautiful] person or thing; //especially// **:** a beautiful woman 3 **:** a particularly graceful, ornamental, or excellent quality 4 **:** a brilliant, extreme, or egregious example or instance 

Beauty is defined as "a particularly graceful, ornamental, or excellent quality." Typically, the modern definition refers to the ornamental aspect. Women of the twenty first century are usually adorned with jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc. and are willing to pay 10,000 for a piece of leather with a handle, which they refer to as a "purse." Make-up is also commonly worn by modern women as opposed to women of the past, when make-up was not available. Make-up offers a new appearance to women of society, creating a new façade that differs greatly from the old one. The standard of beauty has been lowered. “Lowering the Bar” refers to this continually lowering standard of beauty. The box is consists of ten flowers, each of them “fake flowers,” similar to the modern presentation of women, fake. The box is adorned with glitter, commonly used in makeup and other trends that are aesthetically pleasing to women. This glitter is another representation of “lowering the bar.” There are four blue stairs placed on the back of the box, alluding to the “raising the bar” commercial for AT&T, but instead should be seen as lowering. Each of the blue bars has a beautiful brown flower, each the same in appearance, but placed on a different “bar.” This is the main symbol in the work that refers to the lowering standard of beauty and how gradually women have become less and less dependent on natural beauty because make-up provides the rest. There are four flowers in the front area of the box, three of which are significantly more beautiful than the other one. The one that is the least beautiful is the one that is closest to being real because it is made of palm tree leaves. This refers to how make-up (the false flowers) are more aesthetically pleasing than the “realest” flower and how the “ugly” flower is usually not noticed at first glance. Near the back of the box there is a blindfold. This blindfold represents how the population is being deceived and “blinded” by the modern appearance of women.