Aine

Artist’s Statement:

My work looks at ‘ugliness’ and how it is elided with scariness. I am interested in how beauty is weaponized against women to trap and distract us. I draw ugly scary monsters and then write sweet little vignettes to accompany them, about how, for example, the creature depicted is called Pamela and she has just enjoyed watching a Cash in the Attic omnibus. Or the toothless monster called Heather is thrilled because she has just learned how to purl stitch. Through inviting a reconsideration of the attributes we subconsciously assign to the ugly, I hope to bring a sense of warmth and connection to ugliness in ourselves and each other. My aim is that this can slightly loosen the choke-hold of the cult of beauty.