The
inspiration for my art work was initially drawn from Marilyn Minter’s shiny and
seductive paintings, photographs and videos. I chose female sexuality and the
excess of the feminine as my subject matter as I wanted to explore this idea in
depth. This led me to research artists such as Cindy Sherman, Lisa Yuskavage
and Amanda Coogan, who all deal with female sexuality in their work. I was
particularly interested in the Barbie-like element present in Yuskavage’s work.
Manet’s ‘Olympia’ was also in the back of my mind while exploring this idea.
I used
Barbie to represent what is seen to be the “perfect” female body, in today’s
world. Realistically, no female body can look like Barbie, unless it undergoes
cosmetic surgery.
My work is
extremely vibrant, luscious and glossy just as I want it to be. The materials used are just as important as the subject matter. I have displayed my work
in a series. It varies in scale and is flattened to the wall, giving it a
poster or sticker-like element.
Other
artists researched include Frida Kahlo, Laurie Simmons, Paul McCarthy, Anna
Gaskall, Nan Goldin and Gerhard Richter.
