Clodagh O'Farrell

“Woman has been symbolized almost out of existence.”¹
- Katherine Anne Porter, 1939

This photographic series explores the common narratives that influence a woman's place in society from fairytales to bible stories. The use of young female and non-binary subjects performing characters with a hint of irony and dissent encourages the viewer to re-consider common patriarchal tropes. The photos in this series are digital images, the heavily retouched subject performing in a staged scene. The disdain in the subject's expression combined with the perfect placement of bubbles, ribbon, a single teardrop… implies artifice in the tale being told.

The installation of my work aims to confront the viewer with the subject's challenging gaze by lining the six portraits up in a row slightly above eye level. The large size of the prints conveys the strength and weight the subject’s hold. To the left of the prints is a shelf made from expanding foam, the toxic substance absorbing trinkets synonymous with a girl’s childhood. The shelf holds a VHS tape for each print, as this is how I consumed these narratives as a child.

¹The Flower of Flowers, Katherine Anne Porter, 1939