Oppression of women in modern culture and their sexual abuse encounters fuel my practice, expressing this through the use of the ancient Greek myths and the female figures exposed to this injustice by their male counterparts. The female form, popular culture, symbolism of the goddesses and the myths based around their assaults provide my image bank, I express this through the practice of printmaking and collage as they are repetitive processes and abuse can be a repetitive thing that occurs in a women’s life. I gain further inspiration and print ideas from the collages I make and I push the prints I create into mixed media collages continuing the repetition and furthering it into manipulation and distressed conditions by ripping and covering the once perfect clean prints. I use bright and feminine colours to express the delicacy of women and make visually pleasing and textured artworks but hide a dark and meaningful message to state the shame and hidden truths of a broken women. I choose to make these artworks as it is something that has always happened throughout history, to demonstrate that humanity has not evolved from the overlooking and mistreatment of women by linking ancient myths to present day. The artists that encourage my practice are Nancy Spero and the links to her feminist works recognising ancient myths and Wangechi Mutu and her collaged muted forms that empower women and seek to end repression.
Gormes menywod mewn diwylliant modern ac achosion o gam-drin rhywiol yn tanio fy ymarfer, gan fynegi hyn drwy ddefnyddio chwedlau Groegaidd hynafol a’r ffigurau benywaidd sy’n destun i’r anghyfiawnder hwn o du eu cymheiriaid gwrywaidd. Mae’r ffurf fenywaidd, diwylliant poblogaidd, symbolaeth y duwiesau a’r chwedlau ynghlwm wrth eu hymosodiadau sy’n creu fy storfa delweddau. Rwy’n mynegi hyn drwy’r ymarfer o wneud printiau a collage, gan eu bod yn brosesau ailadroddus, ac mae cam-drin yn gallu bod yn elfen ailadroddus ym mywydau menywod. Mae’r gwaith collage rwy’n ei greu yn cynnig rhagor o ysbrydoliaeth a syniadau argraffu, ac mae’r printiau rwy’n eu creu yn cael eu gwthio i waith collage aml-gyfrwng. Mae hynny’n parhau â’r ailadrodd, gan symud ymhellach at drin a chreu amodau treuliedig drwy rwygo a gorchuddio’r printiadau a fu unwaith yn berffaith lân. Rwy’n defnyddio lliwiau llachar a benywaidd i fynegi breuder menywod ac i greu gweithiau celf dymunol eu golwg a’u gwead, ond sydd yn cuddio neges dywyll a llawn ystyr i ddatgan cywilydd a gwirioneddau cudd menywod drylliedig. Rwy’n dewis creu’r gweithiau celf hyn gan ei fod yn rhywbeth sydd wedi digwydd erioed, i ddangos nad yw’r ddynoliaeth wedi esblygu o anwybyddu a cham-drin menywod, drwy gysylltu chwedlau hynafol â’r cyfnod cyfoes. Yr artistiaid sy’n ysbrydoli fy ymarfer yw Nancy Spero a’r cysylltiadau â’i gweithiau ffeministaidd sy’n cydnabod chwedlau hynafol a Wangechi Mutu a’i ffurfiau collage tawel sy’n grymuso menywod ac yn ceisio rhoi terfyn ar ormes.
