Straight lines are male? curves are female…..each curve is made of straight lines….. Elizabeth Frink only made one female figure, she presumably felt she could express more with the power of her striding males. Alice Kettle’s figures are often powerful, male of female, they share the straight nose and square jaw, the uncompromising stance. They do not seem trapped by gender, they are figures of myth, not of this world. She stitches a lot on the reverse, ensures her work is not contained, trapped within the lines. My daughter bought me those colouring books for Xmas…..purportedly work done with Mindfulness. All I can think to do is chew them up and spit them out, I do not like working within the lines.
Trying to express the quality of being trapped by culture, gender, expectations without being too literal. Wrapped figures, maybe an army of wrapped figures. Look at Egyptian mummies, wrapped in bandages. Wrapped in bandages suggests being healed, preserved, cared for but could be said to confine, trap, prevent the body moving….like swaddling clothes for a baby. To save from harm or prevent escape.
the female body can be a battle ground both attacked from the outside and from the inside. women have been seen as vulnerable and yet temptation, leading men to hostile thoughts and action
I am exploring the concept of shifting attitudes by placing the female form in the warrior position. both transgressive to accepted attitudes but also stimulating questions as to force and its traditional use by men.Do women want to join in or oppsoe violent power, to defend themselves, subdue, conquer.
questioning violence. Annette Masssenger looks at body parts, hanging as in an abattoir
Experiments with using the weight of women, which is so seldom part of the art world. Enthusiastically received by older women who rarely see them selves represented. Trying to explore the concept of applying Male attitudes to war to women [self defence?]to create a conflict of assumptions
The Dreaded Dissertation and Xmas has cut a big hole in my creativity.I have ideas and themes swimming around in my mind, but somehow I can’t catch them, which is depressing….which makes my swimmers sink lower…..so more depression……I should maybe start a patchwork just to keep…..my head above water…..must be the floods affecting me.
I am wondering whether to challenge myself to do at least a sketch a day. I did that for a month last year and it proved encouragingly productive. New Year starts tomorrow, after midnight, hopefully I will too.
