Capturing Sexism’s Outlandishness: An interview with Gemma Moore.

Gemma Moore – multi-media artist – talks to us about her innumerable inspiration and desire to tackle ingrained sexist attitudes through her work. Her photography series, for Round Lemon’s recent exhibition ‘April Fish’, explores gendered issues and sexism in contemporary society, playing into the theme of humour through the outlandish and the uncanny.

‘The Female Persona’

Be it food, music, or relaxation: What helps you get into a creative mindset?

Firstly, music gets me into a creative mindset because I will listen to music and then in my mind almost imagine a response to it, which I want to achieve in real life. Music can sometimes articulate strong visual narratives. Secondly, finding artists who tackle similar subject matter to my own gets me in a creative mindset, because I am able to draw parallels or crossovers between their ideas and my own, which I find intriguing. I love hearing artists’ intended meanings to find the 'truth' about an artwork, not the meaning that viewers pin onto artworks. Reading or listening about an issue I am passionate about gets me into a creative mindset – for example, issues around contemporary sexism and vast social inequalities. Imagery that is open to interpretation inspires me because it provides creative freedom. 

Of all the artistic mediums you turn to, which do you enjoy the most or find the most creatively fulfilling?

I am a multi-media based artist. I enjoy many mediums, techniques and processes, such as drawing, mark making, sewing and stitching. I love performance, collecting objects and photography. Out of those three, I would say that completing and documenting the performance itself is fulfilling because it is fun and exciting. I like performance, specifically my take or interpretation of the subject, which appears to be outlandish and uncanny because it allows me to push boundaries and perceptions.

‘The Female Persona’

Your work in ZEST Hall’s exhibition ‘April Fish’ critiques binary gender roles, and more compellingly the power dynamic between these roles. Why does this inspire you?

Stereotypical gender roles and their power dynamic intrigues me on both a personal and a global level. Personally, I have experienced or witnessed sexist attitudes first-hand; at the time, I was not really aware of it, but looking back I can see how these comments or attitudes were sexist. Since completing in-depth reading about feminist theory and ideas, it has broadened my awareness of sexism and the different ways it can be expressed. This inspires me because I want to respond to these sexist attitudes that still exist and affect people today, experiences that I have lived through; I want to make art that raises awareness of this deeply ingrained issue. In terms of sexism on a wider scale, I often observe how women are treated through the media and in terms of crime. The Sarah Everard murder case exemplified some of the issues that my artwork articulates. Prior to this murder case, I was actually doubting my practice's validity. But when this devastating and absolutely horrific crime happened, suddenly my images came to life, or became animated, because they actually critiqued not only what Everard endured, but what many women have and continue to experience. This inspires me because some people think that ingrained sexism is historic, but that is not true – sexist issues still happen today, and it inspires me because they should NOT be happening. At all. The fact that they do still happen in society today frustrates me, and in response I use my art as a device to critique people's perception of gender roles, stereotypes, their power dynamics and how this affects women's life experience.

‘The Female Persona’

The theme for ‘April Fish’ was, of course, humour. Can you tell us more about the process of capturing humour within these negotiations of gender stereotypes?

I think using humour in art in general is a clever and powerful device. This is something I have learnt whilst making these images. Humour enables art to be successful because it makes people take notice: viewers might remember it more vividly. I think the process of capturing humour within negotiations of gender stereotypes starts off by, firstly, being annoyed by a specific or general stereotype women are pushed into. Then, I think of an easily accessible location, props and an outfit to articulate this problem. Ideally, the latter needs to be as outlandish as possible but, essentially, it needs to link to the issue itself, otherwise the work is invalid. For example, to articulate the issues women face whilst juggling work and childcare – which is a problem I like to approach and question throughout my practice – I concluded that dressing up in a woman's suit, holding a life-size fake baby and displacing myself in a cowshed, would seem outlandish enough for the viewer but would articulate that struggle at the same time. Also, to heighten this sense of outlandish-ness, I used facial expressions that juxtaposed against my backgrounds, for example in the image titled ‘The Cows’ – which was exhibited as part of this exhibition – I am laughing whilst holding a baby. Through this, I am trying to argue that women hide this juggling act, pretending it is not a problem but deep down it is, and it affects many women in all stages of their career. Essentially, the background is one of the most powerful devices in articulating humour because it sets the scene. ‘The Cows’ exemplifies this – the viewer is not only confronted by a cowshed but is simultaneously not expecting a woman to be inside and holding a baby.

‘The Cows’

You have placed yourself as the subject within your photography series. What was it like exploring women’s issues, anxieties, expectations of roles and body image, using your own body?

Personally, I have used myself because it is so much easier than hiring a model. I enjoy taking on or adopting different personas and roles throughout my practice, for example, director, artist and model. By using myself, I am able to control all aspects of the photography. It has been a really empowering experience because I almost add to the humour – I am aware that I would not fit the ideal model standard, but I use myself to critique this problem in society because some women are expected to be model standard. Most women are confronted by ideal body types, often through social media and other various media platforms – such as fashion magazines – and desire these bodies. But it soon becomes very apparent that the image they are aspiring to is not actually real or physically possible. Therefore, because I don't fit into this stereotype, I thought it heightens the image's sense of humour. Previously, I used the word 'empowering' to describe what it is like to use myself to critique and explore women's body image issues. This is very much true throughout my artwork, where I have been able to articulate how everybody's body is perfect. You do not need to change to meet the idealised expectations of the media. For example, to illustrate this, before I embarked on this body of work I did not think to myself: "I need to lose a bit of weight". Instead, I just chose the clothes that I was most comfortable with to articulate the issue I wanted to portray.

‘The Female Persona’

Every small element of your photography feels so carefully composed. How do you decide upon these details, such as poses, backdrops, and clothing?

If I am honest – this will probably sound cliché – what happens is that I have 'brainwaves' where I somehow see an outcome in my mind. Very vividly. I can sense which location, clothing, props, wigs, etc. is appropriate to achieve what I want. For example, the piece called ‘Plate Face’ which was exhibited, I envisaged strongly in my mind. For a while, as it took me a few weeks to get around to completing the photoshoot, I asked my brother if he would be up for getting into a suit to help. I explained that I wanted him to sit and obscure his face, if he wanted to, with a magazine that I had previously defaced with my own images. He obliged and I knew where some rural park benches were. Usually, I don't ask people to take part in my photographs, but I knew for this one I ideally required a male. This was because I wanted to create a very striking difference between men's stereotypical roles and women's stereotypical roles in society. I wanted my brother to be dressed in a suit because it would strongly articulate a male's presence. I wanted to be in a dress because that also articulates a stereotypical women's presence. I wanted to juxtapose this and obscure my face with a place to suggest that women's “in the kitchen” role is sometimes pushed onto them. 

‘Plate Face’

Outside of tackling gender politics, do you have any other recent or ongoing aspirations?

I am currently in the last year of my degree, Fine Art BA (Hons), which I have thoroughly enjoyed: the time has absolutely flown by. I am thinking of pursuing a Master’s in Fine Art. I am looking forward to the opportunity of expanding, refining my practice and collaborating with other like-minded artists. In the future, I aspire to have a career within an Arts Educational environment, such as a university lecturer, as I have enjoyed my degree so much. Simultaneously, I would like to enhance my practice by exhibiting in galleries. 

‘The Female Persona’

How do others get in contact with you?

If you have any ideas for collaboration or commission please let me know!

Here is my email address.