Rachel Riggs is fascinated by portrayals of femininity, particularly, the darker undertones of historical and literary depictions. Through ongoing research and practice, she has been exploring the aesthetic of femininity from a critical perspective, attempting to recognise the agency and identity inherent in female voices, traditionally sidelined and objectified.
This theme is developed in this collection of newly presented artworks, created and curated by Riggs, during her residency at the Fremantle Arts Centre in 2021. Using collected vintage women’s magazines, lost objects and found materials, the new ‘femmage’ (female collage) works feature in her first major exhibition ‘Dark Feminine – what lies beneath’ at the Victoria Park Centre for the Arts from 4 to 23 March 2022.
At first glance, Riggs’ new works appear to be a testament to traditional feminine beauty. However, as you look closer, elements of decay are unveiled, and the torn wallpaper reveals hidden images in the beautiful facade. There are insects crawling on all surfaces. Underneath is a shadowy world with a sinister male gaze peering through, or secret gardens of flowers blooming behind the torn papers. Sculptures are created from discarded, vintage domestic objects, broken pottery and lost toys. Evoking memories of times past, a secret imaginary world is found beneath the domestic layers.
Through an examination of the underlying assumptions within the feminine gothic canon, this exhibition strives to re-introduce depth and recognition to female characters and “female values” that are all too often dismissed, or oversimplified. Riggs aims to contextualise the aesthetic of the dark feminine and ultimately, to reintroduce life to unheard women’s experiences.
“This new collection is a kind of feminist peepshow, inviting you to look again. My artworks are created in the spirit of exploration of the hidden female in domesticity, and the stories real and imagined, that are beneath the surface. With humour and emotional context, I extend the traditions of ‘feminine’ objects, subverting their ordinary form, to see the stories hidden behind the scenes,“ Rachel said.
Exhibition Engagement Program – FREE
Artist Talks: Saturday 5, 12, 19 March, 1pm
Drop in Vintage Magazine Workshops Create your own collaged work of art – Sunday 6 & 13 March, 1-3pm
Exhibition Dates: Exhibition opening: Friday 4 March 2022, 5.30pm – 7.30pm, Open to the public
Exhibition runs: 4 March – 23 March 2022
Gallery Hours: Mon 10-2.30pm, Tues – Fri 10-4pm, Sat & Sun 11-4pm
Venue: Victoria Park Centre for the Arts, 12 Kent Street, East Victoria Park, WA.
Website: vicparkarts.org.au
About Rachel Riggs
Rachel is a multi-disciplinary artist exploring the superimposition of discarded fragments and abandoned materials, reclaiming what nature and human-kind discard, re-assembling them to reveal hidden traces of personal and collective memory. Collaging with the everyday detritus of society to make something extraordinary.
Her work explores the collective primal, nostalgic and current narratives of our sensory relationships to found objects. Collecting, sorting, juxtaposing, recycling – connecting different elements to find intangible qualities and tell instinctively combined new stories.
By drawing on her background in puppetry and children’s theatre, she creates story with visual art works in mixed media. Derived from female imagery, folklore, animism and spirit of place, her work is created within the liminal space, instinctive and collaborative.
Using traditional creative methods fused with contemporary practice, she develops and facilitates educational and family engagement arts programmes for the 21st Century, in theatres, art centres, community places, museums, schools and art galleries.