As lady Gaga says ‘Your born that way…….’ I didn’t wake up one day and think ‘I am so angry with inequality I am going to be a feminist’ this seed is planted from birth.
One of my earliest memories as a child was with my mum I must have been around 4 years old. In a supermarket and a friend of my mum’s stopped to talk to her and commented on how pretty I was and I returned the compliment with ‘I know’ with that uttered from my innocent voice I couldn’t then understand why they laughed! Is this because I wasn’t! of course not! (Well I hope not!). But this made me realise that straight away my instinct of being loving about myself should be disregarded and perhaps the reaction the lady wanted was a coy shy smile!
The inequality I feel is towards both men and women. We are taught from an early age to fit into our gender roles ‘please gather all your belongings and jump in to that box that says princess or prince’, and ask no questions. As I’ve grown up its manifested into a predator prey connection, which is reinforced by media and body image.
I am very excited to announce that I will be having an exhibition starting in August, with an incredible bunch of artists but I will tell you more about that closer to the time. And the photograph below is a sneak peek of what I shall be showing. To link back to what I have I been saying is for me this body of work is about being a women in the westerner world. And my influences are from the strong female role models who have shaped my thinking and challenged it.
One person who does stick out to me is ‘Madonna’ she has influenced my thinking ever since a young age. Â Whether you love her or loath her check out this interview with her and Marilyn Minter on what it has been like becoming an artist. On youtube ‘Madonna Marilyn Minter Brooklin Talks 2017’. She explains how her critics have been a driving force to her career.
The Drying Room Blog 