Opening on the 4th of May, the exhibition Bodies, Gluttony, and Me at Pictorum Gallery will showcase works by seven women artists, including Nettle Grellier, Faye Eleanor Woods, Anna Choutova, Zoe Francis Spowage, Rosie Gibbens, Qingqing Liu, and Damaris Athene. wtf? spoke to the Director and Curator of the show, Joséphine May Bailey, to talk about the concept of the show.
The exhibition explores the sin of gluttony in a broader sense, beyond just food, and thinks about it in relation to the grotesque, the carnivalesque, and the unexpected. The works draw on the sin of gluttony to express enjoyment, humour, voyeurism, gender, feminism, and transgression.
Joséphine explains the inspiration behind the concept. According to her, the exhibition centres around the concept of the 'unruly' or 'grotesque' woman, with gluttony serving as a word that brings together socially unacceptable ideas, especially in relation to women and their bodies. This includes excess in food, hedonism, consumption, and absurdity, all of which contradict normal societal expectations for women.
‘The show centres around the idea of the 'unruly' or 'grotesque' woman. Gluttony is a word that, for me, brings together a lot of socially unacceptable ideas (especially in relation to women, and women's bodies) - excess in food, hedonism, consumption, absurdity - all things that go against normal societal expectations for women.’
Moreover, Joséphine emphasises the significance of body image and representation of form in the struggle for gender equality. She explains, ‘Body-image and representation of form are such important topics that are so unifying, and there so many incredible artists who look at the subject (through whatever lens or medium they feel best) - I was mostly just inspired by their works, and determined to put on a show with them.’
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