Inhaling
 

For this series of work I wanted to show my fascination in society's progress away from patriarchy - I’m questioning the language and judgement women can use about other women -  I’m investigating if this damages the movement towards equality.

 

I philosophically and artistically focus on conversations and the language from the point of view of a young girl listening.  What’s being said in these scenes and moments? Is the girl absorbing any judgement? Her age is important too, she is at the time that she is no longer a child and almost stepping into adolescence. Is the conversation and language around her changing?

 

As a late diagnosed dyslexic and finding the act and processing text very hard the enquiry has been difficult. 

 

I listened to feminist authors, podcasts and watched documentry and film, looking for those occasions of conversations. Just a few examples I’ve used are - ‘Women don't owe you pretty’ by Florence Given. ‘The Rebel Princess’ BBC documentary. ‘Essex Girls’ by Sarah Perry. ‘Swive’ Play by Ella Hickson. These and many more have all woven around my painting practice where I chose quotes from the studies to give the paintings their titles.

 

I want to give the viewer a visual deep feeling of a girl listening and the influence of subconsciously absorbing misogynistic themes. So editing the images tightly and with a cinematic framing gives a perception of maybe an awkward feminine domestic scene. 

 

Over the lockdowns I made over 40 paintings and wrote a short story. These inspirations built momentum for the “Inhaling” project and this was my first solo show at the Fishing Quarter Gallery, Brighton in the summer of 21.