Thursday, January 19, 2017

HannyaGrrrl Website


Today's women and arts post is a link to the website of Hanako O'Leary. She is a young artist from Seattle. Her work is sharp and smart and feminist. Take a look.


Here is her artist statement:

The Hannya mask is a mask used in Noh theater, representing a jealous female demon. It possesses two sharp bull-like horns, metallic eyes, and a leering mouth... The Hannya mask portrays the souls of women who have become demons due to obsession or jealousy.  It is said to be demonic and dangerous but also sorrowful and tormented, displaying the complexity of human emotions."
Shielded by an ancient and archetypal smile, Hannyagrrrl explores the tragedy and triumph of modern femininity.

Growing up in a biracial household, I have developed a knack for taking two completely different cultures and synthesizing them into my own aesthetic or philosophy. In doing so, I have come to understand how to tell my story through art. By applying Hannya’s face in a context that reflects my personal experiences as a biracial woman, I use this iconic Japanese image to tell my American story.


No comments:

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

ShareThis