These words are written about ‘Working Title’, an exhibition and workshop at aspex gallery, Gunwharf.
Clothes-less.
There are obvious hints of ‘human-ness’ in much of Kate’s artworks, a fact I noticed after going through most of the images on her website several months ago. I came across Kate Parrott’s work after looking at images of exhibitions she had been involved in with other artists who are close to aspex, and was immediately taken by the awkward charm created by her sculptures and drawings.
If you have watched the video interview with Kate below, she mentions that whilst involved in Working Title she would’ve liked to have found some pieces of clothing in the ‘junk pile’ we have in gallery 1. Clothes are often used in her artwork, particularly ladies clothes, often creating a suggestion of a female form through use of a loose bodily shaped structure. This said, without the use of women’s fashion, Kate still heavily refers and hints at aspects of female stereotypes, using make-up, dress jewellery, dainty watch clock faces, and shoes.
It seems that obvious juxtapositions are key to her work, combining these soft feminine materials with more bulky, heavier pieces, metal objects and wooden constructions, placing tall complex structures next to small, simple and easy-to-miss artworks.
For me, that is precisely the most beautiful element of Kate’s work, she leaves the interpretation of it open, it is as if the viewer is piecing together symbols, perhaps creating their own story or solving some sort of surreal and well composed crime scene. It seems somewhat rebellious, embracing such ambiguity, but after all, this isn’t a science lesson and who needs conclusions anyway?
