Monstrous Feminine
Exhibition dates: Apr 6 - Apr 10
Closing reception: Thursday, April 9th 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
“Her Sweet Son”, Oil on Panel, 2025, NFS
“Lone Shark”, Oil on Panel, 2025-2026, NFS
“City of Stars”, Oil on Panel, 2025-2026, $1500
“The Judgement of Paris”, Oil on Panel, 2025-2026, $1200
Artist Statement
Through much of mythology across different parts of Europe, many of the most well-known villains are women, or otherwise associated with femininity. While male monsters and villains do exist, the infamy that they receive is not to the same scale as monsters such as Medusa, the female gorgon that turns people to stone. Furthermore, the heroes of these stories are primarily male, and the female monsters are used to further the heroism and notoriety of the male hero. These stories have been interwoven with both the ancient and modern cultures. The euroamerican patriarchal system has been deeply influenced by ancient Greece, therefore the mythological stories that were written in ancient Greece have also been affected by the male-centered system. Thus, contributing to the villainization of women.
In this body of work, I have sought to rewrite these narratives of inherently ignorant, evil, and monstrous women by giving these mythological characters agency over their own stories. I present them as content and joyful as a form of protest against not only their demonization, but also to the depreciation of femininity as a whole because of the association to monstrosity. I have aimed to represent the women as their own individuals rather than a means to an end, giving a voice to both them and women affected by patriarchal norms in our modern society.
In doing this I have also explored the demonization of my own femininity and the tumultuous relationship I have had with it throughout my life. In celebrating my loved one’s femininity through painting, I have learned to love mine as well.