What do you think it is to be a beautiful woman? Perhaps, for you, beauty is a set of characteristics that involve harmony and balance in outward traits as well as inward qualities such as joy and gentleness.
However, this is not the concept we see stamped in magazines, internet stories, Instagram posts and television. For society, beauty is still synonymous with a perfect face, a? Model body? and of course youth.
Unfortunately, we still have to live with the idea that beauty fades with maturity, as if older people, especially women, were deprived of all that is beautiful, including looks, femininity and sexuality. .
It was against this thought that the 36-year-old Portuguese designer Maria Seruya launched the project “Velhas Bonitonas”, in which she portrays older women with many wrinkles, makeup and accessories, expressing a range of feelings.
Dare to be who they want without complexes or blame?
Maria Seyura makes cafes in Cascais or Lisbon her studios. It is on the tables of these establishments that she separates crayons, watercolors, ink and charcoal to paint older women on A5, A4 and A3 sheets.
Also read: 5 reasons not to fear old age
Maria says that the project happened by chance and that its purpose was only personal. As I drew, I felt that these women were special. I wanted to be one of them. Her motto is "Dare to be who they want, without complexes or blame", said the artist in an interview on the association's website.
Asked about the reasons for painting older women, Maria states that? They don't have to prove anything to anyone? and? have freedom of mind? ? hence the boldness of being who they want to be. In addition, the designer revealed admiring female beauty for considering it more sophisticated than male.
While admitting that her project had no social purpose, Maria says she would be very happy if her works could help older people in any way. The "Pretty Old Ladies" are old women who have a life of their own, are not useless and inspire other people [?] It's almost a culture of no age, no size, no style, no standard beauty, ”she added to the site. .
A watercolor of feelings
According to Maria Seruya, her models do not exist in real life. "In the background, I take a picture and then I go outside." My way of painting is very spontaneous, fast and carefree ?, the designer told the Observer website.
In her works, Maria portrays ladies who convey a diversity of feelings and messages in order to address topics such as joy, sadness, discrimination, sensuality and sexuality.
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For Maria, are you? They are not old, but a personality and a story. ? The loaded wrinkles carry stories [?] They are right on their skin. If they are "bumpy", that's right and that's exactly how I'm going to portray them? She explained to the site.
Also according to the artist, all her works are painted emotionally, and the public has identified with this feature. ? No one is indifferent, because everyone will grow old [?] It is a story that comes out of there. I create the old women and give freedom to those who see them to imagine their stories. The work only ends there, in the observer ?, declared Maria, emphasizing the importance of the interpretation of the public so that the works fulfill their role.
A project from the project
The Old Good Girls project is drawing the attention of people, brands and associations that relate to the theme of aging. From this, the artist has partnered with Associação Cabelos Brancos, a Portuguese non-profit foundation that develops initiatives to combat age-related stigma.
With the partnership, Maria Seruya organizes workshops that, through art, aims at preparing for aging considering the body, the mind, the heart and the soul? After all, we'll all get there one day.
Can you meet other? Beautiful old women? painted by Maria Seruya on the project website and you can also follow the Facebook page to stay on top of this inspiring work.
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