Lives and liberties are being eroded and destroyed. Institutional and individual aggressions are increasingly normalized, idealized and repackaged as patriotism, family values, and religious righteousness. These aggressions have grown more ruthless, extreme and widespread in recent years.
As a member of the LGBTQIA community, an outspoken feminist, a Jewish woman who has experienced discrimination and antisemitism, and a psychotherapist/visual artist, my work highlights the social conditions that undermine individual agency. Through use of bold paint on oversized canvas, my work exposes my outrage. My work reveals the emotional impact of the undermining of individuals’ rights, and their ability to live empowered lives. Grappling with issues of violence against women and children, sexual abuse, sexuality, race, gender and “femininity/masculinity”, I confront deeply embedded social beliefs and values. My paintings viscerally expose the impact of, and adaptation to a society that denies its own exclusion, oppression, and exploitation.
This new series- is directly related to the Texas ruling against abortion after six weeks, ( a time before most women and girls are aware that they are pregnant). Since 1973 when Roe vs Wade was passed, women and children’s rights have not been as threatened in this country as they are right now! Under this conservative, misogynistic Supreme Court, humanity in general, and women’s rights in particular are once again threatened. The fact that men continue to rape, coerce, commit incest, and impregnate our daughters and ourselves is beyond horrific. Now Texas, (and others will follow), have empowered their perpetrators and criminals. Texas has decided to force girls and women to birth their rapists' offspring. Texas is criminalizing the victims instead of the criminals. Texas is criminalizing those who seek to help victims instead of their perpetrators. We cannot allow sociopaths to create laws.We cannot have criminals making decisions over the lives of their victims! Roe vs Wade is pro-life and pro-choice! Only women can make decisions over their bodies!
Description of Never Again:
In the aftermath of the Holocaust, the term "Never Again" has been repeatedly used. Growing up in America, I had hoped never to see children torn from their parents' arms and treated inhumanely again.
As lives and liberties are eroded and destroyed, institutional and individual aggressions are normalized, idealized and redefined as patriotism. These aggressions have grown more ruthless, extreme and widespread in recent years.
My work, as a queer, Jewish woman, visual artist and psychotherapist explores the social conditions that undermine individual agency and ability to live empowered lives. Grappling with issues of sexual abuse, sexuality, race, gender and “femininity/masculinity”, I confront deeply embedded social beliefs and values and expose the impact of, and adaptation to, a society that denies its own exclusion, oppression, and exploitation.
Through psychological, expressionist portrayals of ‘real’ human beings, conveyed through scale and bold brushstrokes of unapologetic color, emotion and truth is laid bare, with an urgency that courses through my subjects. My hope is that my work will be utilized to move us, in some capacity, towards a more just and equal society.
Description of Texas Declares War on Women:
As abortion becomes more restricted state to state, and Roe v Wade is threatened entirely, women and girls lives lie in the balance and remain controlled by the very men who commit rape and incest.
Caren Jo Shapiro
IG: @cjartbound