Liz Darrell

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Pulling from the experiences I’ve gathered in my nigh quarter century spent alive, I aim to investigate the worlds within and around me through camp, sarcasm, and humor.  And as a young queer white woman, my goal isn’t to endear myself or explain myself but to simply bear myself. The pieces I create are attempts at illustrating a thought or feeling or experience I've found fascinating, and typically have to do with mental health, femininity, queerness, and privilege. I hope to shine a light on the unremarkable in a remarkable way; the things we take for granted are often the things least explored.

Venus Divine
So much of recorded history ignores the leaders and icons of marginalized peoples. So many trailblazers deserved the grandiose portraits of yore, but never got them. The goal of the series this piece is a part of, “Recorded Herstory,” is to take some of the most well known paintings of epic moments in time and replace the subject with a queer icon. These paintings were done by geniuses with a specific message prioritized over accuracy— be it strength, nobility, beauty, or even the divine. Our icons deserve the same treatment. The series is an opportunity to percolate on the fact that despite not being portrayed as some of the world’s most influential members, we are just as deserving. “Venus Divine” is a retelling of Sandro Botticelli’s infamous piece “The Birth of Venus.” Venus, known as Aphrodite to the Greeks, is renowned as the epitome of beauty. In “Venus Divine,” Venus is replaced with Divine, the notorious drag performer known for his roles in John Water’s cult films. Their goal together was to shock and appall, and they did just that. He was an actor, a legend, and a trailblazer.
Pay It No Mind
So much of recorded history ignores the leaders and icons of marginalized peoples. So many trailblazers deserved the grandiose portraits of yore, but never got them. The goal of the series this piece is a part of, “Recorded Herstory,” is to take some of the most well known paintings of epic moments in time and replace the subject with a queer icon. These paintings were done by genius’ with a specific message prioritized over accuracy— be it strength, nobility, beauty, or even the divine. Our icons deserve the same treatment. The series is an opportunity to percolate on the fact that despite not being portrayed as some of the world’s most influential members, we are just as deserving. “Pay It No Mind” is a retelling of Emanuel Leutze’s famed painting “Washington Crossing the Delaware.” The piece is meant to commemorate the first action in a tide turning victory for the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. Though renowned as largely inaccurate to the actual incident, the piece depicts Washington as how he was revered and remembered: galant, graceful, and an undeniable leader. “Pay It No Mind” replaces the American Flag with the Progress Pride Flag and Washington with Marsha P. Johnson, known for being a trans woman who cast the first brick at the Stonewall Riots in 1969.
Joys of Maintenance
This piece is a part of "Lady-Like," an exploration of femininity and improper behavior in incorrect places. It is expected to see feminine bodies in certain ways. This is increasingly true in more formal settings. The conflict between the actions and the bodies/spaces in which these actions take place are meant to inflame the mind’s expectation of feminine forms. The goal of this series is to place feminine forms in positions that would be classified as unladylike. They do the things that it is understood ladies should not do or should not do publicly, at least. The figures depicted are genderless and inhuman. They are not ladies, but they are lady-like.
Farts and Other Pleasurable Hassles
This piece is a part of "Lady-Like," an exploration of femininity and improper behavior in incorrect places. It is expected to see feminine bodies in certain ways. This is increasingly true in more formal settings. The conflict between the actions and the bodies/spaces in which these actions take place are meant to inflame the mind’s expectation of feminine forms. The goal of this series is to place feminine forms in positions that would be classified as unladylike. They do the things that it is understood ladies should not do or should not do publicly, at least. The figures depicted are genderless and inhuman. They are not ladies, but they are lady-like.
How To Make a Monster
This piece is part of the series, "Damsels and Distress," investigating white women and victimhood. Using the original 1950’s poster design, this series flips the place of the monsters and the white women cowering from/being abducted by them. Throughout history, white women have been regarded as helpless creatures in need of rescuing. The point of this series is meant to question this notion two fold. It is meant to empower by removing the women’s roles as victims, and placing them in the active role. However, it also places them in the role of the monster. The image and notion of white women has been used in fear mongering and condemnation of people of color and anyone deemed as the other. White women have notoriously stood by as passive and active participants in this violence. Their role as monsters reveals the power that white women and their imagery have wielded.
Bio: 

I'm a multidisciplinary artist born and based in New York City. I was exposed to an absurd array of dramatic and visual arts growing up, perhaps triggering my perceiving of the world in expressive rather than logical ways. A lot of the darkness we face throughout life targets the deepest parts of ourselves, and to me, many of the deepest parts of myself are bound to my childhood. So, I’ve become interested in exploring adult concepts through a playful lens.

It's strange being alive these days and that's quite inspiring. There's a lot to think about, there's a lot to feel about, but there's even more to do. My works may offend, they may inspire, perhaps even disappoint, but hopefully they’ll provoke something, anything. Be it internal or external; a thought or actions.

The UK
london
Romania
Constanta
Italy
roma
Canasa
Vancouver
United States
New York

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