MRes Student Launches Solo Retrospective

MRes degrees are another postgraduate route on offer in the School of Arts and Social Sciences and provide students with expert knowledge and understanding of research methods. The MRes programmes are ideal preparation for careers in professional research or teaching and are a great pathway into doctoral studies.

MRes Gender Studies looks at contemporary debates regarding femininity, masculinity and queer identities. Helen’s exhibition reflects this research and she told us more about the exhibition, “DEICIDE is a solo retrospective of four years practice, investigating gender issues inherent within the bible. I’m really excited to see these different bodies of work brought together, especially in a society nervous of artwork that questions religion.”

The show has been described as a bold commentary through the visually confrontational work exhibited. The work’s striking aesthetic uses post-feminist concepts of power and control, and investigates enforcement, reinforcement and reactions to patriarchal society to display stunning imagery of the female form.

Helen comments, “For my latest body of work I’ve made a series of large drawings that start to deconstruct the Virgin Mary. She will be placed in a dominant position above a bent and bound Pope Pius IX, in reference to the declaration of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in the 1850s.” The deconstructed Virgins will be placed on the floor so the viewer can get a sense of the role reversal of power implicated by the bible. I did this to a certain extent in my first degree show, and the police came and censored the show because they were worried the public would be offended by male biblical nudes, but absurdly, the erotic females were allowed to be displayed.
 
Deicide looks deeper into female submissiveness and the inferiority of women advocated through the bible. Helen thoughtfully explores the deconstruction and recovery of the Virgin Mary, the documented abuse and genocide by Moses and the current Pope’s editorial decision to remove women from the bible in his new book for children.

Helen’s work may cause some controversy and she comments, “It is hoped and anticipated the work and the issues it deal with will create a lot of debate, and the gallery is organising a symposium towards the end of the show, so that these issues can be debated.”
Helen’s exhibition takes place at DegreeArt’s Execution Room 12a Vyner Street, London from 3 November until 28 November 2011. For further information please contact: PR@DegreeArt.com
  
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