Cornice investigates the hidden parallels between the titular architectural element and the “ideal” female form—both of which are subjected to similar processes, and arguably, a product of their own particular beauty standards.*

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A cornice is a decorative element from classical architecture, typically placed at the top of a building’s exterior or interior wall. The artist employed the traditional technique of cornice-making using a running mold, juxtaposing it with the image of her body profile. She poses in a way that conforms to Western beauty standards—gracefully stretched, with arms held aloft like a caryatid—to appear thin and static.

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The molding process involves a series of contrasting gestures: layers of plaster are splashed on, then shaved back with the mold’s metal edge—repeatedly—until it reaches its seemingly seamless form. In this series of long-duration performative acts the artist molds several angles of her body profile: crops of legs, breasts, buttocks, and last, her entire body. Being done vertically, the main challenge of this technique is to work fast enough before the plaster hardens, thus preventing the material from sagging. Cornice depicts an inner battle against time and gravity.​​