As an extending practice module, I have decided to continue my work on Rape Culture. It is a subject I am very passionate about and I feel like I didn’t get the chance to fully explore what the subject has to offer during the last module. I have a penchant of choosing themes that are taboo or just not talked about very often. I became very interested in this subject after the whole #MeToo movement came about and victims of Harvey Weinstein started coming forward. As a woman with many experiences myself, I also know far too many people with similar stories and trauma that comes along with rape culture. This theme for me, like all my themes, are very personal and hold a lot of meaning and passion in my life. These often-disturbing themes are usually what drive my motivation and inspire my best work.
My overall inspiration that really pushed this subject for me, was the #ThisIsNotConsent protest after an Irish rape trial. The defendant was declared ‘Not Guilty’ of raping the 17-year-old girl due to the “evidence” they showed in court. The “evidence” being the young teenager’s thong that she had been wearing that night, before the incident. 27-year-old defense barrister, Elizabeth O’Connell, told jurors to take the teenager’s underwear into account when making their judgement. This court case sparked outrage as the defense barrister said, “Does the evidence out-rule the possibility that she was attracted to the defendant and was open to meeting someone and being with someone? You have to look at the way she was dressed. She was wearing a thong with a lace front.” Not only is this a shining example of rape culture and victim-blaming, it also caused the victim, Lindsay Armstrong, to take her own life not long after the trial. Many women in solidarity all around the world, are still protesting the horrendous affairs of what happened in the courthouse that day.
During my progress on this module, I shall be exploring new methods of art and developing my practice into more positive outcomes. However, I have also decided to use some previous artwork and research to support my creative process and to help develop this project into its full potential. I will be using my collected data, experiences and research from the Rape Culture module I recently developed. I will also be using some collective data, research, artwork and some of my photography from my Domestic Violence module outcome.
I will be using artists and poets from my previous module, such as; Marina Abramovich, Fiona Benson, Blythe Baird, Emma Sulcowicz, Yoko Ono, Sierra DeMulder, Luzene Hill, Lady Skollie, Frizz Kid, etc. I shall, however, be using new artists to inspire an abstract expressionist outcome. My main inspiration primarily comes from Marion Bolognesi, Bayani De Leon, Agnes Cecile and others alike. I intend on introducing portraiture into my work and to add an abstract-like form with new mediums such as watercolours, drawings and other paints.
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