Cecile Plaisance Vanity Fair

Drawing her inspiration from the grand masters of photography – Avedon, Lindbergh, Newton or Toscani, among others – Cécile Plaisance uses lenticular printing to allow the viewer to dress or undress the models, real women, barbies, idealized beauties that are everywhere around us. This time though, the models, whether human or doll, have an unapologetic way of looking right into the camera, as a way of reclaiming their right to display their charms, to seduce, to pleasure . . . in other words, to live hedonistically, regardless of religion, the male gaze or cultural boundaries. A fun tribute to all women with Cécile’s humor: it’s a statement!

As Cécile’s photography progressed, she linked Barbie to the women of today — all the while playing with her femininity, as the icon took on many lives while juggling her daily life as wife, mother, friend and lover. She was doing what all women do and thoroughly enjoying it: flirty in her convertible; sexy on the beach; powerful as executive of her own company, autonomous, ageless, and in the end — alone as beautiful women can be in life — a Stepford wife no longer. Cécile also added humor to the Barbie mix by targeting men who absolutely expect sexiness in their women even while assuming everyday responsibilities.

Over and above the myth of woman as object, the artist elevates the idol of our collective childhood by supporting the challenges of women today to defend their rights, their desires and their hard-fought freedom. The nun’s cloak and the burka of a veiled woman now suggests that behind one woman’s outer persona, is another one hiding. From complex subtleties to bold statements, Cécile Plaisance’s artistic eye has found them all. Despite the differences in cultures, in clothes and fashion, and the diversity of paths taken, women aspire to live fully and intensely their multifaceted lives and no Taliban will ever change that. In capturing the essence of all women in the perfect body of one, the artist has created a genre uniquely her own yet accessible to all. She uses the technique of lenticular photography by superimposing images: Barbie appears to undress depending on one’s position in front of the photo.

What if God were a woman? “Fuck the rules” is her latest series of photos that ignores established precepts and, instead, delivers an open perspective in which men and women accompany one another religiously, like complementary souls. Far from the mummifying codes of religion, Cécile Plaisance invites us into a subtle and sensual freedom of the senses, where a woman is seen as a female pope, the exclusive mistress of her own decisions.

Find a collection of original Cécile Plaisance photography on 1stDibs.

Used to refer to a time rather than an aesthetic, Contemporary art generally describes pieces created after 1970 or being made by living artists anywhere in the world. This immediacy means it encompasses art responding to the present moment through diverse subjects, media and themes. Contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, performance, digital art, video and more frequently includes work that is attempting to reshape current ideas about what art can be, from Felix Gonzalez-Torres’s use of candy to memorialize a lover he lost to AIDS-related complications to Jenny Holzer’s ongoing “Truisms,” a Conceptual series that sees provocative messages printed on billboards, T-shirts, benches and other public places that exist outside of formal exhibitions and the conventional “white cube” of galleries.

Contemporary art has been pushing the boundaries of creative expression for years. Its disruption of the traditional concepts of art are often aiming to engage viewers in complex questions about identity, society and culture. In the latter part of the 20th century, contemporary movements included Land art, in which artists like Robert Smithson and Michael Heizer create large-scale, site-specific sculptures, installations and other works in soil and bodies of water; Sound art, with artists such as Christian Marclay and Susan Philipsz centering art on sonic experiences; and New Media art, in which mass media and digital culture inform the work of artists such as Nam June Paik and Rafaël Rozendaal.

The first decades of the 21st century have seen the growth of Contemporary African art, the revival of figurative painting, the emergence of street art and the rise of NFTs, unique digital artworks that are powered by blockchain technology.

Major Contemporary artists practicing now include Ai Weiwei, Cecily Brown, David Hockney, Yayoi Kusama, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and Kara Walker.

Find a collection of Contemporary prints, photography, paintings, sculptures and other art on 1stDibs.