Ok, I’ll just come out and say it:
Used lipstick is my biggest motivator. Don’t hate. There’s an explanation behind it.
In 1992, artist Stacy Greene created “Lipsticks,” a series of photographs designed to showcase how women used their lipstick each day, and the interesting patterns that resulted. Every lipstick reflected totally different personalities, lifestyles, habits, and choices. Her inspiration? Greene’s friend Rosie’s lipstick, which was formed into such a unique shape it made her inquire if every woman used their lipstick in a personalized way.
She sought to photograph the lipsticks of friends, acquaintances, and strangers alike. Asking someone to see their lipstick felt like an invasive and strangely intimate question, which led to Stacy Greene’s true need to obtain that used lipstick. She always added, “I’ll buy you a new one.”
The final product of this artistic feat was a series of 20×24 inch close-up shots of women’s lipstick, each named after its owner. The concept, cutting-edge and brilliant, was the modification of something that was once a uniform, mass-produced item, warped by a daily ritual and so individualized that it became entirely recognizable, a staple of someone’s lifestyle and being.
Greene’s artwork has allowed people to view a monotonous, almost trivial daily habit as something altogether powerful and, quite honestly, amusing. People look at these women’s lipsticks and categorize themselves in connection with the unique styles, saying, “I’m a Rosie” or “Denise is me.”
It is a personal statue, formed by a body.
And that’s why I find it so interesting. The lipsticks are the simplest thing, but with the right execution, stylist choices, and promotion, the mundane is brought to life, something people find joy and comfort in.
Stacy Greene’s work reminds and reaffirms my own individual identity. I can’t emulate the patterns of Rosie or Ellen. I will only ever be able to be myself. And the best part is that no one can ever replicate me, either.
In a world that increasingly pushes conformity and look-alike fashion and beauty, this artwork feels like a breath of fresh air. The rise of “cores” and “aesthetics,” mostly popularized and mainstreamed by social media, feels like a disease. We feel the need to put ourselves in a box, slap a label on our beings, and seek the approval of a community no one really fits into, because we’re all made unique. We cannot emulate someone else, no matter what we do, post, or buy.
The first time I saw ‘Lipsticks’, I was confused. Why on Earth would someone want to take a picture of that? It didn’t seem worthy enough of the title of “art.” Now, I have the artwork as my iPhone’s wallpaper, and I look at it daily. I’ve incorporated pictures of rituals into my own ritual.
I wanted to involve myself more in Greene’s artwork by seeing what my own “lipstick” looks like. I put quotations around lipstick because I don’t often wear the product, though I’m sure I will as I age and become a more sophisticated woman. I use the Clinique Chubby stick, a product which I adore, and has molded into its own unique shape, created entirely by me! Comparing my statue to those photographed by Greene, I would say I most identify with Stacy, as both hers and mine only appear to be used on one side.
I encourage you, as someone who, admittedly, doesn’t know much about art or photography, to find artworks, like this one, that move something in you. Physical media, even found in online spaces, can be a wonderful source of passion and inspiration. Who knows what feelings might be ignited in you?
And, of course, once you’re done reading this, go check out your own lipstick!