Worn Lines: Healing Through the Marked Body

This exhibition is a personal exploration of tattooing as a tool for body reclamation and self-acceptance. Initially motivated by aesthetic appeal, my understanding of the importance of tattoos has deepened as I have examined how they have helped me reclaim my body from experiences of eating disorders and body dysmorphia. In a world that often objectifies and seeks to control women’s bodies, tattoos offer a means of reclaiming agency and asserting identity. Despite their growing popularity, tattoos, especially on women, continue to carry stigmas linked to deviancy and non-conformity. Through the lens of corporeal feminism, this exhibition reframes tattoos as acts of reparative care and bodily autonomy. Tattoos are not passive markings but intentional acts of self-determination, challenging harmful societal narratives and affirming self-worth. This exhibition consists of six realistic, figurative oil paintings and one installation piece, forming a visual narrative grounded in autotheory. These works trace my evolving relationship with my body, from struggles of body dysmorphia and eating disorders to experiencing self-acceptance and empowerment. Ultimately, this exhibition invites reflection on tattoos as transformative symbols of autonomy and healing. It encourages viewers to consider how tattoos can serve as tools of resistance, enabling reclamation and reshaping personal and cultural narratives around women’s bodies.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Art

Grantor

Arts

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Kizan, Ryanna

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Anderson, Judy

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Leier, Heather
• Cahill, Susan

• tattoos
• femininity
• painting

Statement dc:rights

• Unless otherwise indicated, this material is protected by copyright and has been made available with authorization from the copyright owner. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/50648

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/123068