Contemporary Femininity

Sendra uebele

Through this body of work I am exploring contemporary femininity. For me, this meant confronting gender stereotypes, identity politics, and pulling from my own experiences as a proud and confident queer woman.

I have been extremely interested in utilizing ‘women’s work’ in my art, such as needlework and embroidery, as a way of honoring women’s history but also recognizing the limitations that have been put on women in the past, and present. In the same vein, I have used imagery and symbols of domesticity repeatedly in my pieces. Alternatively, I have chosen to use vibrant colors, confident poses, and language in my art that echoes that of feminist posters, and zines from the ‘Pussy Riot’ era. Using this combination of the past and of the feminist revolution I hope to convey the importance of progress and activism in a way that is inviting to the viewer.

While approaching larger and more widespread issues in social awareness I have also included more autobiographical work. While thinking about femininity and what that means to me, I have created pieces about my personal experiences battling body issues, social constructs surrounding what I am ‘capable’ of as a female, and finding safe spaces and communities. I have also included portraits of other queer and/or female youth as an attempt to show more than one perspective, and to begin to reflect on the diversity found in personal identities.

I’ve found that I have the ability to create a safe and empowering place for people who feel their voices are not being heard. I am focused on how my art can tell a story of a community and of myself as an individual within it, and I hope my work can add to the dialogue of queer and female artists and help to expand the visibility and understanding of a more diverse population.
 

SENDRA UEBELE is from Champaign, IL and attends Interlochen Arts Academy. She is a Senior and is regularly published in Rookiemag, as well as Speciwoman, The Buffalo Almanack, and Repentino Magazine. She is inspired by zines from the 'Pussy Riot' era and by feminist artists such as Barbara Kruger, Judy Chicago, and Tracey Emin.