Artist Rebel Sophie Hargraves talks about the birth of her latest project.
While most have been perfecting their sourdough making skills I have been collaborating with my womb, staining fabric with my period blood and making a 1950’s Step Ford Wives dress and performing outside the Tate Modern.
Some context. At the turn of this decade my promise to myself was to be guided creatively by my monthly period for a year. My art has gone from hiding at the back of the airing cupboard to a LOCKDOWN secret online exhibition (with my underground cult following) to pricing a selfie titled; We are ALL Salvator Mundi 2020 at $916,000,000 and standing with it at The National Gallery (well outside it for now, but one day I will be inside it).
Now in month 9, the month of BIRTH, it is I who have to birth myself. Writing to you and getting the story out there is like the birth announcements in the paper!
As I walk towards the beginning of the end towards the beginning of this creative communion I will be completing the year with a virtual talk 25.11.20, philosophising about the body of art I have created and birthed and inviting people to collaborate with me for 2021. Let the flow flow as they say.
Before the Bodyform advert I had scripted, filmed, directed, edited and produced a micro documentary; Why did I price a selfie as the highest art work in the world by a mother? Watch; Made in Womb below.
Reviews:
‘Bloody brilliant’
‘Made my vagina tingle’
‘ I am not off to address my patriarchal prejudices’
‘witty, you made me think’
‘I found seeing your blood gross and then I asked myself why.’
My art has been funded and fuelled by women, I have not sought grants or funding, this adventure was about seeing how I can create a community of people to be part of the art journey with me.
In truth I am better at talking about this, if this tickles your arts tastebuds I would love to indulge you further.
Here is the Gallery of my artists journey. Art has been my medicine, helping me process trauma meeting a well of oppressed creativity.