I’ve always considered the beach to be a utopia, one that I fantasize about from afar all year long.

The words “summer vacation” evoke dreams of glittering beaches, heat-drenching sun, and the perfect golden tan. Growing up, I noticed how much emphasis the women in my culture placed on tanning, and the desire to have tanned, glowing skin was nearly universal. Even now that I’m older, returning from a beach vacation without being tanned almost seems like a faux pas. But when looking closer at the rituals and routines that myself, my peers, and many Italian women do to achieve this tan, I began to question what was considered “normal,” and “acceptable” behavior with the sun. I sought to satirically portray these rituals through exaggerated aesthetics, to question the common belief of how healthy these practices in regards to achieving the perfect tan really are.