Some original test studies to get in the mood of the punk aesthetic. punk and Anarchy are the main themes i looked into this year. this work is made using torn canvas, charcoal, and coloured safety pins.
these works were made in response to posie parker's visit to nz. As someone who doesn't agree with transphobic rhetoric or any input from nazis, this work (the signs at least) were put to good use at a trans rally in wellington. my friend helped me paint the signs, then took the signs to the protest as i was unable to attend. everything here is very diy, made using cheap paints, spraypaint, sharpies and recycled cardboard. it's fun making art without having to worry about traditional art hierarchies.
continuing on with the idea of trans rights, i made this work in retaliation to the USA forcing people to de-transition. I am fully aware that i myself am not trans, so i made sure i was staying within the lines of the voyeur of the situation. even from where i stand as a cis woman, the fact that they are trying to force the personal transformations of trans people back to a place where they feel stifled and uncomfortable is unspeakable. it plays along with the metaphor that they're trying to put a butterfly back into its chrysalis; the chrysalis having already rotted away, and the butterfly having transformed into something larger and more beautiful than it was when it was trapped in the chrysalis. the golden cage is representative of the gilded cage society places over our lives- not dissimilar to the idea of a bell jar.
this work was a call to my fellow art students to release their rage against the awful comments that are made to artists. commonly we hear that art isn't hard, isn't worth it, or isn't a real career. in reality art is a key part of everyday life, businesses, and is a viable field of work to find a career in. i started them off with a few comments i have personally been told, instructions to mess up the wall, and different media for them to use. I left paint, pens, clay, and more as well as an open invite to use their own media too.
these are based off of the ideals of anarchism, specifically the ideals/quote from anarchist Emma Goldman. this was made to be an introductory work to the real ideals of anarchism rather than the chaos and violence commonly associated with anarchism at a glance. the works are homemade stencil spray painted on coloured vinyl and denim.
this work is a direct reference to the miscommunication of the roots of anarchism. originally it was used to promote individual autonomy without interference from the government or societal values, living more collectively and dismissing the greed of capitalism. people only see the chaos and destruction, and ignore the underlying ideals- hence the large font chaos and the smaller badge word freedom; chaos is the first thing people will see, but if they look closer they will see that it's really about freedom. I handmade the badges and stickers, two objects which are synonymous with alternative cultures such as punk and anarchism for expressing ideals to the world. i also let the group that went to the crit that attended this work to take any pins or stickers they would like, as a way to spread community, ideals, and my work. i used 3 symbols on the badges; a peace symbol, the transgender symbol, and the anarchy symbol. They were used to reflect the promotion of bodily autonomy and peace that anarchism is ultimately trying to achieve.
