Are You Cut Out For My Revolution

Natalie Wood

A Space Windows

September 18 – October 24, 2009

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My recent work has evolved from research into social resistance movements, theories and narratives. My interests lie in how popular culture co-opts these movements rendering them powerless, yet ultimately disseminating the seeds of alternative visions that are like coded messages which are only visible to its believers and the converted. In my recent work I explore the visual codes of the Black Panther Movement, Afrofuturistic theories, and feminism through the creation of portraits that combine and blend these elements. 

The surface material I am presently working with is corrugated cardboard, which I find is an apt metaphor for my blended subjects. I first whiten the surface layer and then cut or pull off this layer to reveal brown images and hybridized portraits in a deconstructive process that is ritualistic and revelatory. Cardboard, often associated with trade, transport and movement, is also known for its adaptability; a curious mixture of strength and fragility and is seen as a low cost option that is easily discarded and often recycled.

Biographies

Natalie Wood is a multimedia artist, curator, and arts educator based in Toronto. She has an MA in art education, and teaches at schools, art centres, and health organizations to develop and support health and creativity, especially within black and queer communities.