One artist took the #FreeTheNipple campaign to heart and literally free’d numerous nipples all over her body! No she doesn’t have some crazy genetic defect with dozens of nipples, but you will definitely get second glances walking down the street if you are wearing this custom design by artist Emily Silvis featuring silicone nipples on leather and silk organza! The piece, entitled ‘Mosquito Bites’, a reference to Silvis’ personal dilemma as a teenager and trying to find acceptance for her body. It’s about vulnerability – The title, Mosquito Bites, is the phrase that was often used by her peers to tease her for her small breasts and inverted nipples, kids can be cruel as hell now a days. But it’s pretty badass to see someone take that frustration and anger and turn it around into something positive throwing it right back in the faces of those who tried to bring you down! She believes that all women are victims of body shaming at some point in their lives, and the only way to overcome it is to embrace the differences between us all.
To create the piece Silvis took a silicone mold of her friends’ and her own nipples, to show their differences and add variants among the nipples on the design, she then embedded them into the silicone outfit. The materiality of the silicone alone speaks to the idea of plastic surgery, and the desire to have the ideal body. By taking the metaphor and turning it into a tangible representation, she is confronting the humility of the expression. After the piece was finished she collaborated with model and friend Tylar Avery and shot the wearable design for a feature with us, here is the final result! Enjoy!
See more of Emily Silvis’ work here: FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM
