Anja Stenina, Interpretation of Gemma J. Howell’s poem Madame’s Menu, Digital collage, 2023 Madame’s Menu Our main dishes this evening include: Top-Choice Tori who is 24 and a perfect size 8. With honeyed hair and baby-blue eyes, she’s a High-class Escort and Glamour Model. She has succulent breasts and curves in all the right places with a busty 32C cup. She is bronzed all over. She’s a spicy, saucy, sexy lady who loves to tease and aims to please. Or, there is a second choice of Toni. She’s getting on a bit at 32, and is a size 10. With peroxide extensions, blue contact lenses, she’s a cam-girl and cervical cancer survivor. In a Wonderbra and tutu she models for favours. Abused by her stepdad then evicted at 14, she turned tricks to survive. But, with a convincing wig and a painful smile she’ll give the infamous Tori tit-wank and say it was just for you. For dessert we have the Naughty Nikita. She’s only 18 and is a slim size 6. With a tiny waist and a pert bust, our Russian Princess has hot-chocolate hair, full cherry lips and sweet almond eyes. She’s a student nurse and a high-class escort. She’s a girl-next-door type., Who’ll give you a one-on-one full girlfriend experience. Or perhaps you would rather a Natia. She’s 19 and a pre-pubescent size 4. Originally from Prague, she worked the stag scene. Arriving in Britain just one month ago she finally escaped the grip of her pimp. She has frizzy hair, sallow skin and a Meth Amphetamine problem. Poem by Gemma Howell, 2015 In her poem, Madame’s Menu, Gemma June Howell uses détournement as a technique to deliver a critique. The poem appropriates the syntactic qualities of idealised advertisement slogans and transforms them into visceral social images. The poem subverts the mythologised idea of seduction into a story of exploitation. The adult advertisement format is repeated in every stanza to introduce the ‘product’. Every advertisement lists the qualities of escort women while mixing them with gastronomic descriptions, stylistically mimicking restaurant menu expressions. Every line is in the form of an advertisement, which starts with the seductive descriptions of women. The description is designed for the male gaze and gastronomic descriptions seamlessly interplay with physical descriptions of sex workers. Howell, G. J (et al) (2015), Hallelujah for 50ft Women, Poems about women’s relationship to their bodies, Bloodaxe Books
Gemma June Howell, Another Bun in the Oven, film, 2021 This film was prepared for The Frequency House Swansea Poetry Slam 2021. Another Bun in the Oven Another Bun in the Oven A’rite? Nairmz Rhiannon, an I leve on thuh Rock. I luv drinken ciduh, an I luv sucken cock. I wanna bee yin college, buh I go’ uh lickle kid. An-uh crèche in college aint tha fucken big. My muvva wun elp me, cuz I nict er tellee. An my ole man iza preck. Ee puncht er in th’bellee. 51 Nutz in skool, I wuz. Chucken chairz un sellen fagz. Expelled ut firteen, I wuz, f’robbin uh teachuz bagz. It wuz f’thuh best ough, I wuz pregnunt wiv Levi, Mist all uv my examz, I ded. Tuh my life I sed g’bye. My felluz shaggen round, iss bin gor en ona wi-yul. Iss bairbeez bout t’drop soon. Weyull gor on Jeremee ki-yul. Sor, I angah round uh shops, tuh see oo eez shaggen. All-uh boyz cum on tuh me, finken I’m out slaggen! My boobs uh fucken killin An my belleez rock ard. Bastad duzunt giva shit, now eez wiv iz new tart. Anuva kid. Anuva Giro. Iz tha all wee-yuh werff? Iz ent air more too wis yere life un givin fuckin berff? Anuva drink. Anuva fag. Anuva spliff, or pill. Wee-yuh fucken ewmuns yuh, not pigs in fucken swill! Howell, G. J (2023), Another Bun in the Oven, IN, Yer Ower Voices!: Dialect poems in Welsh and English from Cymru by Mike Jenkins | WHSmith (no date) ’WHSmith. Available at: https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/yer-ower-voices- dialect-poems-in-welsh-and-english-from-cymru/mike-jenkins/paperback/ 9781912710546.html Read more about Gemma’s poetry here: Jamieson, A. (2015) ‘Launch of Rock Life: 17 Poems from the Welsh Valleys by Gemma June Howell (Nos Da, Cardiff, 20/11/15)’, Sabotage, 13 December. Available at: http://sabotagereviews.com/2015/12/13/launch-of-rock-life-17- poems-by-gemma-june-howell-nos-da-cardiff-201115/ (Accessed: 8 October 2023).
Claire Francis – Domestic heritage, installation, 2023 Table cloth, oil paint, pastel, pencil, embroidery. This work looks at knowledge passed on in feminine spaces, arching back to the suffrage movement; plans for change made over drinking tea. Hidden in femininity. Protected. Feminine heritage. social boundaries and manifestations of experiential knowledge and tangible / intangible heritage. Artist Statement: In her evocative body of work, artist Claire Francis explores the intersection of knowledge, femininity, and the often-hidden aspects of heritage. Using a diverse array of mediums, including oil paint, pastel, pencil and embroidery, Francis delves into the rich tapestry of experiences and stories that have been passed down within feminine spaces. This body of work serves as a visual testament to the enduring legacy of knowledge and wisdom that has been exchanged amongst women throughout history. It harkens back to the suffrage movement, where women gathered over tea, conceiving their plans for change in a society that often overlooked their voices. With a keen eye for the subtleties of social boundaries, Francis invites viewers to contemplate the tangible and intangible manifestations of experiential knowledge. The narrative unfurls as a mesmerising tapestry, revealing the resilience and influence of women who have shaped society from the shadows. The artworks themselves become a sanctuary, a place where the stories, memories, and secrets of generations of women are safeguarded. In a fascinating juxtaposition, the artist also alludes to the ancient practice of ritual cave paintings, where knowledge and tradition were etched into both the rock and time. This reference underscores the enduring nature of feminine heritage, spanning across millennia and evokes a sense of continuity in the face of changing social landscapes. This collection of artworks invites us to look backwards in history, unveiling the hidden layers of the feminine experience, offering a glimpse into the concealed power of femininity and the transformative potential held within the gatherings, where plans for change were woven into the fabric of society. Francis’ work becomes a bridge between past and present, inviting us to reflect on the enduring power of femininity and the transformative potential that resides within the stories shared within the domestic space. Claire Francis – Domestic Heritage, film, 2023 The film explores the passing on of the experiential knowledge. The symbolism of the loss of water when pouring into the sieve, represents the loss of wisdom and knowledge that is not recognised in official discourses. In their film, the artist explores the profound theme of the transference of knowledge within the context of domestic heritage, inviting viewers into the heart of a family circle where individuals of different ages unite to partake in a ritual rich in symbolism. At the core of this cinematic exploration lies the poignant subject of passing on experiential knowledge, and the subtle yet profound symbolism of water as a carrier of memory and wisdom. The act of pouring water into the tea cup and over its walls, serves as a poignant metaphor for the loss of wisdom and knowledge that frequently goes unrecognised. In this intimate ritual, the audience witnesses the essence of generational continuity. The sieve, a vessel bearing a rich cultural heritage, becomes a vessel of both physical and metaphysical importance. As the water flows into the sieve, it carries with it the collective memory of their ancestors, the wisdom of past generations, and the experiences of those who have walked the path before them. Water, as a symbol of memory retention, encapsulates the essence of their shared history and the treasures of familial heritage. It is in this unassuming act, within the intimate circle of family members, that the passing on of memory takes place. The film is a visual testament to the enduring power of familial bonds and the value of preserving and transferring experiential knowledge from one generation to the next. Through the symbolic act of pouring water into the sieve, the artist acknowledges the profound importance of recognizing and cherishing the wisdom that may not always find its place in official narratives. In essence, their work serves as a tribute to the resilience of domestic heritage and the beauty of the transference of knowledge within the family circle. It reminds us that, like water, knowledge and memory flow through the generations, connecting us to our roots and shaping our future.
Anja Stenina, Mule Story Part III: Neither the time nor the place, film, 2023 The film shows a plasticine mule that dances to the chorus that says: Not here! Not now! The plasticine figure represents a placeholder for every[wo]man, every harmed knower. It is a figure that embodies epistemic pain. The scene portrays the experiential world of a knower who cannot find the time or place to contribute. The Mule is looking for the time and cannot find it, the Mule is looking for the place and cannot find it. The mule figure is guided by the motherly voice that repeats ‘Not here! Not now!’ in a patronising and controlling manner. The Mule performs different expressions of searching, walking, lost, crawling on its knees, etc. The Mule does not understand that the game is rigged and what it should be looking for is not the time or the place, but authority and intelligibility for her voice to be heard. The Mule embodies a discourse that did not come to be, it portrays the speech or voice that is unintelligible and without authority, it portrays a pathetic character in an absurd situation; misshapen and under-sculpted. It portrays the interrupted or misinterpreted speech of the marginalised. The Mule is distorted, alien, out of place and out of time. The song, Not here! Not now!, dramatises the experiential time and place of the unknowing of the marginalised knower. The viewer is invited to co-experience the loss of epistemic agency together with the lost mule.
Rufus Mufasa (with Angela Karadog Marion Cheung Rhian Anderson), Swynwraig Denim Dwbl Led by Rufus Mufasa and a team of textiles experts, using denim & fabrics created a DENIM DWBL patchwork banner in preparation for the Hop-tŷ Denim Dwbl parade happening in October 2023. Swynwraig is a partnership project between Undercurrents (Arts in the Aber Valley community group, Caerphilly County Borough Council and Addo). “Through using mixed media & textiles we explored themes affecting women & girls, looked for feminism in indigenous languages & celebrated mothers & artists & set up ecosystems to empower & support professional development, wellbeing & Welsh on new terms”. Rufus Mufasa More on the project: https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=yE4U0X1TWns
Alina Skorohoda, Mental Load, film, 2018 In her work “Mental Load” Skorohoda delves deep into the realms of domesticity, identity, gender, and the often overlooked yet burdensome concept of the mental load that women carry. At the center of the artwork stands a powerful protagonist, a woman, who strides into the sea, bearing an oversized garden washing hanger. This seemingly mundane object becomes a poignant symbol of domestic duties and responsibilities that persist even in the context of a holiday. Through this evocative scene, Skorohoda presents a stark commentary on the unrelenting nature of the mental and emotional labour that women frequently shoulder. As the protagonist walks into the sea, it can be interpreted as an act of existential contemplation, a symbolic attempt to escape the ceaseless demands placed upon her. The sea becomes a metaphorical space for release, a place where the weight of societal expectations and the mental load can momentarily dissipate.
Darren Cullen, Santa Gives More to Rich Kids Than Poor Kids More | Spelling Mistakes Cost Lives // Darren Cullen Student art attacks commercial spirit of Christmas | Students | The Guardian Student’s anti-Santa poster scrapped | Students | The Guardian “Britain hating anarchist who knows the value of nothing” – Tory MP Johnny Mercer “”Artist”” – Daily Mail Darren Cullen’s 2005 campaign to put an end to the commercialisation of Christmas, launched an attack on the advertising industry’s targeting of children via a billboard on Glasgow’s Balmore Road as part of a public art show ahead of his degree show. The installation was almost scrapped as the original sign company involved determined it to be too contentious. “Santa Claus is a lie that teaches kids that products will make them happy. Before they’re old enough to think for themselves, the story of Santa has already got them hooked on consumerism. I think that’s more immoral than this billboard,” said Mr Cullen, who spent four years studying advertising before becoming disenchanted with the industry and switching to Glasgow School of Art’s environmental art course. “I think I’ll be characterised as a Scrooge but I see it as a serious issue. Children have no intellectual self-defence against marketing and advertising and in that way they are easy targets.” “Today people are living far beyond their means, going into debt, buying things they can’t afford, because they have this belief that any problem can be solved and happiness can be achieved through the buying of products…” “Now that, for the most part, is down to advertising, which manipulates people’s desires and keeps them reliant on purchases for satisfaction.” “But when those consumers were children, instead of Christmas being a celebration of Jesus, who was quite a vocal opponent of materialism and, therefore, a rubbish spokesman for Christmas – they were told about Santa Claus and all the amazing shiny products he was going to bring them, all for free.” https://www.spellingmistakescostlives.com/
Anja Stenina, Mule Story Part I: Once Upon A Time, film, 2023, Mule Story Part II: Once Upon A Time, film, 2023 The Mule Story takes the viewer on a journey into the depths of the social unknowing. The story’s core idea is epistemic injustice, which means undermining someone in their capacity as a knower. The main character is a harmed knower. The main protagonist, The Mule, portrays the harmed knower as a tragi-comical character. The story follows the production line of mundane silencing. The designed social location in the scenes is a fictional but familiar social interstice where social communication and understanding break. To bring the viewer’s attention to everyday manifestations of epistemic injustice, The Mule Story films parody mundane situations that contain prescribed speech. The Mule vignettes attempt to retrospectively zoom-in-on epistemic crimes. The film is a horror story of vicious correspondence. Where myth and common sense are not what they seem and the prevalence of prescribed speech and monologism in everyday mundane interactions take on a sinister aspect. The work explores expressions of fear, doubt and self-approving superiority in relation to the speaking position in society. Marginalised identities often cannot be addressers of their Lived Experience due to epistemic injustice. The Mule story trilogy portrays the Mule experiencing pain that is inconceivable, or conceivable but indescribable, or describable but uncommunicative, fictional but familiar. A place many of us have inhabited, a shared ‘typical’ social interstice characterised by unknowing and silencing.
Anja Stenina, Mundane Protest, sculpture, 2023 The sculpture in the shape of a speech bubble on the broomstick is designed for dynamic social commentary and socially engaged practice. The surface of the speech bubble works as a whiteboard and text can be easily erased and replaced. The sculpture is dynamic, in the sense that it can change during the exhibition if the author finds a better “phrase of the day”. The phrases on the clouds attempt to capture mundane mythologies, the manifestations of the everyday unknowing that we encounter in our daily lives. The texts are expressions of the experientially uncomfortable and typical speech situations, indignities and communicative obstacles we encounter on our mundane journeys.
Post-it Notes project by Rakumancy Artist Triad, 2023 In this project, three artists Anja Stenina, Claire Francis and Esther Ley bring together social commentary and sculpture. Esther Ley’s many years of expertise in ceramics allowed this critical and, at the same time, playful creative endeavour to take shape. The artist triad has collected people’s testimonies of the uncomfortable commentary, feedback and statements regarding the art profession, art practice, and art in general. Whether it be unsolicited advice, harsh criticism, or societal assumptions about art, these words and experiences are often hidden from the public eye. To reveal the unspoken narratives and social assumptions that exist behind the scenes of the art world, individuals were encouraged to share their experiences anonymously. The artist triad took great care in transferring the shared testimonials onto these clay Post-it notes, ensuring that the original handwriting and expressions of the contributors were preserved. This attention to detail adds a layer of authenticity to the project, as each ceramic Post-it note becomes a unique representation of the voices within the art community.The resulting collection of ceramic Post-it notes serves as a mirror, reflecting back to the public the often-uncomfortable truths and societal judgments that artists face regularly.
