licensecreative Artist's Statment

The three themes that inform my research are gender, power and equality. I developed an interest in feminism and how women are depicted in art. In particular I am interested in how artists subvert distinct gender expectations and challenge patriarchal power. I want to uncover why, within art and society as a whole, we still battle with gender inequality and understand the constructs of masculinity vs. femininity.
For American Philosoher, Judith Butler, being female is a cultural performance delivered through forms of the masquerade. It is the concept of the masquerade, introduced by Joan Rivere, which I aim to investigate. Is femininity a disarming disguise used to deflect attention from the female’s desire for power? What role does the masquerade present to masculinity? Are gender roles not just masks for constructed ideals derived from a patriarchal capitalist society?

Traditionally, feminist art has focused on the portrayal of women, understanding it and often subverting accepted norms and representation. For me, it is an important theme in my work that the discourse is moved beyond simply focusing on the representation of women, but to look at and understand the nature of power itself, which is still overwhelmingly a male domain. I am interested in the paradox and interplay of power and vulnerability.

View my website http://www.kimjordanart.co.uk/