New Work

Grotesque Internal Devastation. 2024. Ink, watercolor and thread on paper. 18"x24".

My new work re-imagines Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” through the transformative lens of menopause, delving into themes of creation, destruction, and identity. This exploration runs parallel to the challenges faced by women during this significant life stage. Drawing inspiration from Shelley’s Gothic style, this visual essay seeks to capture the essence of these shared experiences.

The peculiarities of recent years, marked by pandemic-induced isolation and personal reflections on aging, have led me to discover intriguing parallels between my journey into middle age, the unpredictable shifts of menopause, and the Creature’s experience depicted in the novel. While Shelley’s work doesn’t explicitly address menopause, it can be interpreted as an allegorical exploration of broader themes of transformation and the consequences of defying the societal and natural orders—themes that resonate with the multifaceted experiences of women.

This work seamlessly blends the personal and political, reflecting my encounters with the culture of silence and sexism surrounding menopause. It exposes a substantial gap in understanding this life stage and serves as an opportunity to bridge the divide between my personal experience and a broader conversation about ageism, sexism, and representation. The artwork incorporates text from the novel, paintings, and sculptural pieces crafted from disparate materials like paper and fabric, bound with knots, and netting.