Artist Starts a New Year’s Revolution

Rather than make a New Year’s resolution, artist Brenda Oelbaum is starting a revolution.

Oelbaum spent three days assembling the Willendorf Project in the front window of . She hopes the display, titled “My New Year’s Revolution,” inspires viewers to skip resolutions this year.

“When you fight who you are supposed to be, you make yourself worse,” she said.

In this installation, Oelbaum uses thousands of donated diet books, her papier-mâché Venuses and words painted in red on the window as props. The centerpiece of the display is the life-sized photo of Oelbaum posing nude, using nothing but diet books for modesty.

Oelbaum says the installation is not about her or her nudity. But rather, it's about getting people to think and talk about the diet industry, she said.

“Look at this huge industry, see how big it is," she said. "See how much time we invest in this industry that doesn’t do what it promises."

The Venus sculptures are fashioned completely out of pages from diet books written by authors such as Jane Fonda, Dr. Phil and Richard Simmons. Oelbaum doesn’t have a favorite Venus, but says most people favor the Venus made of Jane Fonda diet book pages. 

Gallery owner Patt Slack agrees, saying the Jane Fonda papier-mâché Venus is her favorite part of the display, noting the leg warmers. Slack also favors the Jane Fonda Venus because, she says, “I know what she has been through.”

The Willendorf Project is installation art, something that River’s Edge Gallery hasn’t displayed to this extent before.

“A lot of people think we’ve turned into a book store," Slack said. “People aren’t used to installation art.  It’s a really new concept to main street.”

Slack has owned River’s Edge Gallery for 30 years and says she has had more reaction from this installation than any other display. 

The inspiration for the Willendorf Project came to Oelbaum 10 years ago when she saw a weight loss commercial that used an image of the sculpture, Venus of Willendorf. Oelbaum felt the sculpture, which is traditionally a symbol of fertility, was used as a visual image to hurt women and found it offensive.

“We need to be more accepting that people come in different shapes and sizes," she said. “It’s so easy to flip and doubt yourself when the world is telling you you’re wrong.”

Five years ago, she began collecting donated diet books. By the fall of 2007, the diet books filled her studio, reaching all the way to the ceiling. Oelbaum posed nude with the collection of books for the photo that later became part of the Willendorf Project.

In May 2008, The Willendorf project debuted at a Women’s Caucus for Art exhibition at the University of Michigan that focused on women’s health.

Slack and Oelbaum met through the art caucus and agree they had an immediate mutual love for each other.

“When I met her, I thought, 'This woman is a genius and I must have part of her,'" Slack said. "She was doing something different and enlightening and wonderful.” 

Both Slack and Oelbaum thought placing an emphasis on revolution rather than resolution was a perfect theme to start the New Year. Slack said other artists in her gallery have been inspired by the revolution and are revolting through their own art.

“It’s an experience,” Slack said. “People are supposed to talk about it. It opens the door to talking about art.”

Oelbaum’s ultimate vision for the Willendorf Project is creating a maze with paths representing different eating disorders. She wants to include an audio aspect to the project with headphones guiding people on an eating disorder journey.

While Oelbaum says people could buy pieces of “My New Year’s Revolution," the cost per piece would be pretty steep as they are part of a project. Other pieces of her work, titled “In Emergency Break Glass,” are for sale at the gallery.

How does Oelbaum feel about Wyandotte?

“I like it," she said. "I love the gallery. There is so much to see. You see something new every time you go in. It is like a visual orgasm. Everyone who comes in is a friend and Patt is so warm.”

“My New Year’s Revolution” officially opens Friday. Oelbaum plans to celebrate the opening by hosting “The Great Rip Up,” where guests are invited to bring diet books to rip up. The ripped pages will be part of a new creation, an Oelbaum Venus.

The opening coincides with Wyandotte’s Third Friday celebration, and the gallery will be serving refreshments.

You can witness the revolution in person now until Feb. 18 at .