Biography
My work looks at post-feminist concepts of power and control, investigating enforcement, reinforcement and reactions to patriarchal society. I am particularly interested in how patriarchy has been moulded by scripts for male power, using cultural criticism of male scripts (the bible and popular culture) to challenge existing social norms.
I am currently working on new paintings for my forthcoming solo show. Deicide will be a retrospective of works that challenges and rebukes the female submissiveness and inferiority advocated by the Bible. My paintings deconstruct and reform the image of the Virgin Mary.
My most recent installation work is a reaction to Pope Benedict XVI editing women out of the bible in his new book for children. I have used repeated images of a ball-gagged Benedict together with CAD embroidery to name and commemorate each and every biblical female. The commemoration has been formed into a Confession Chamber, to record the link of 'sin' with women and some of the Bible's more misogynous passages. The Confession Chamber contains both secret and sealed confessions, and also visible confessions sent to me anonymously. Some of today's and the world's leading figures in the arts have submitted sealed and secret confessions for my Benedict XVI Confession Chamber - including writers, artists, feminists, curators and thinkers. To have been entrusted with the secret innermost thoughts of such an outstanding body of people has been a very humbling experience and has made this project the most precious I have ever embarked upon. The Confession Chamber is an interactive installation and all viewers are invited to make their own confessions and leave them hidden or revealed within the chamber.
Helen Gorrill, September 2011
