| Although this image is fairly self explanatory, I can give a little background. For 3 years I commuted on an almost daily basis to Brighton, where I was doing my degree in printmaking. I developed an addiction of sorts to cheap gossip magazines with their lurid images and shocking stories. they gave me an intense course in the human psych, and it never ceased to amaze me just how willing people were to reveal stuff about themselves. the magazines inspired me with narratives to dissect. i liked the vulnerability and sheer humanness I found there. |
I find the inclusion of sex and nudity on your blog a little disconcerting. why do you feel the need to stoop that low? Life is full to the brim of beauty and positive values, is there really a need for this kind of depravity? I do like your work but you appear to have a juvenile urge to shock and ambush the viewer. I do believe artists should be free to express themselves but not in this way. i am only saying this as I think you would attract more people to your work if you toned it down a little and offered a more hopeful note.
ReplyDeleteA fan offering guidance.
Sex and nudity low and depraved? Hmmm. It's amazing how deeply the commenter reveals herself. I feel like I can see far into her narrow life. Clearly, your work evoked something in her. I suspect it's the same thing your work evokes in many, or all of us, but she doesn't enjoy the sensation like we do. We must all be depraved miscreants! Also, when I think about it, the beauty in some of your images is actually derived from depravity but it isn't necessarily linked to sex or nudity, per se. Rock on, Bunny, with your gorgeous horror and hilarity. I thank you with all of my heart for sharing so generously. You're awesome Kimberly Rousseau
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Kimberly for these words. I had to think long and hard before exposing myself by publishing my private sketchbooks for all to see, and I was always a little worried that my stuff would be misunderstood and twisted around. There have been a few occaisons where I received major hostility, thankfully not that often but it happened non the less, one being a tutor at the The Royal College of art no less who told me in no uncertain terms that my books were horrible. But I always thought that If I felt something or saw an issue a certain way, there would be others who'd understand and agree with me. That gives me the nerve to continue picking off my scabs and grossing out people by making them look at my wounds. I can't begin to tell you how your words have cheered me up. You too are awsome! xxx
ReplyDeleteThat's what's so brilliant about your work: it's not only of your wounds but you've made pictures of my wounds. Clearly, in some way we both love our wounds and "make lemonade" with them. The brilliance is in how you have depicted your wound and it turns out to be my wound, our wound; and you have given it a face and a dress and turned it upside-down so that the knickers are showing and the presence or absence of God is always wafting through the evil which appears as light...now I'm just running on so I will stop but I mean what I said. My guess about the commenter: she is still wearing rose colored classes and pretending the terrible stuff never happened. I feel like telling her, "Feist up, woman!" even though, in moments, I can appreciate denial too. Devoid of denial, that's what your images are and so now I think I can see how that would be hard to take in by somebody who is using denial as a shield. Your pictures shake and shatter it.
ReplyDeleteKimberly Rousseau
Thank you Kimberly, I don't know what to say, but there is something universal about even the most personal. Nothing is new under the sun. I have a beef with a lot of women's 'craft' magazines because they encourage too much of the cliched and fakely cheerful and optimistic. It is surprising how empowering it is to claim your wounds and be proud you survived them, I would love to do some workshops on keeping visual journals, because the 'womens art ' industry does them a great disservice in peddling sayings and homilys that act as a tiny band aid for a limb that is falling off. You get my work and that is very gratifying. xx
ReplyDeleteYes, yes. If you teach a class and I can manage to fly 6000 to get there I will!
ReplyDeleteKimberly Rousseau
You are one of the lucky ones in that you have a talent for words. Some people have not figured out a way of letting off steam and avoiding insanity. We could get together and put a words/images class, wouldn't that be fun?
ReplyDeleteDo you really think we've avoided insanity?
ReplyDeleteKimberly Rousseau
Can you imagine what we'd be like without the safety valve? Maybe we've avoided out and out madness, a little insanity just makes life a little more interesting!
ReplyDelete