BFAP Magazine 2023 - Flipbook - Page 49
How do you keep motivated?
I found it motivating throughout my course being
constantly surrounded by my classmates and
their individual styles and visiting galleries and
exhibitions. Seeing what others produced inspired
my creative thinking. Being in an art environment
encourages me to keep constructing work. I also
gain a lot of motivation from learning about my
subject and visiting pathology museums, thinking
how I can incorporate these ideas and source
materials into my works. As well as reading
shocking gender bias facts. Facts: endometriosis:
it is the 7th most painful disease in the world,
10% of women have endometriosis and takes
on average 8 years for a diagnosis. “Searching
‘endometriosis’ in the UK Research and
Innovation’s (UKRI) award’s database produces 35
hits, meaning they have funded 35 endometriosisrelated projects since 2003. On the other hand, if
you search ‘diabetes’, a condition with the same
incidence rate but one that affects both sexes, they
have funded a total of 1758 projects in the same
time period. Six of the endometriosis projects
were given over £1m, compared to 243 of the
diabetes projects, with a further ten of the latter
receiving a pot greater than £10m”. Heart disease:
heart disease is the number one killer of women
in the UK despite it being considered a “mans
disease” 82,000 women die from this in the UK
each year - compared with 79,000 men. Women
have a 50% higher chance of getting an incorrect
initial diagnosis, even after having a heart attack.
Medications: ‘Women weren’t included in clinical
trials until the 1990s. While women make up 70%
of chronic pain patients, 80% of pain medication
has been tested only on men. Researchers have
justified this bias by claiming that oestrous cycles
in female rodents – and menstrual cycles in human
women – would potentially corrupt results. Eight
of the 10 prescription drugs taken off the market
by the US Food and Drug Administration between
1997 and 2000 owing to severe adverse effects
caused greater health risks in women than men. A
2018 study found this was a result of “serious male
biases in basic, preclinical, and clinical research”.’
This lack of research has led to many birth defects
including Thalidomide babies.
Why do you have a fascination with the grotesque?
Ever since I was young I found beauty and
fascination in things that were considered ‘ugly’
and enjoyed artists who also play with this
mentality, such as, Patricia Piccinini. I enjoy
playing the subject of grotesque causing the sense
of discomfort, how it can make you feel conflicted
within yourself with wanting to walk away from
the subject that is causing it, yet there’s an urge to
stay and observe.
Untitled
2022
Oil on board
29.5 x 40.5 cm
BFAP
49
2023