“Innovation” Dadaism gif art

This Dadaist-inspired collage critiques the early internalisation of beauty standards in young girls. The central figure, a grayscale image of a child quietly inspecting her dress, is surrounded by disembodied hands reaching in with makeup tools — a visual metaphor for external forces imposing expectations. Torn textures and layered elements evoke the chaos and fragmentation of identity under societal pressure.

Despite her innocence, the child’s downward gaze reveals a moment of self-scrutiny — a reflection of how early the seeds of self-awareness and self-critique are planted. The use of collage and surreal juxtaposition emphasises the unnatural, almost invasive nature of this process. Influences don’t come solely from media, but from the everyday — parental figures, women in their lives, and cultural norms that quietly (or loudly) train young girls to evaluate themselves based on appearance.

The title “Innovation” is presented ironically, confronting the viewer with how societal ‘progress’ often reinforces harmful cycles — repackaging old pressures in new forms. The piece invites reflection on how beauty standards are not just marketed, but inherited, absorbed, and acted upon — often before a child even understands what beauty is.