Round 3 Rachel Riggs

Rachel Riggs is a mixed media artist, fascinated by portrayals of femininity, particularly, the darker undertones of social and historical 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.

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 underneath in a shadowy world, with the discarded vintage female gaze looking out from the past. Evoking nostalgic memories, a secret imaginary world is found beneath the domestic layers, striving to re-introduce depth and recognition to female characters and “female values” that are all too often dismissed – poetics of the dark feminine. Her works bring together discarded fragments, everyday detritus which would be thrown away to landfill, re-assembled to reveal their hidden traces of personal and collective memory, in a coffee cup.

Read more about Rachel and this artwork here