Graduate Exhibition

Van Marty's practice focuses on feminist issues, and this particular work is informed by the politics of representation in mass media. By subversively imitating a typical women's magazine, 'Chicanery' engages readers who may succumb to intentionally damaging media strategies which lower women's self-esteem to sell products. However, Van has interrogated the misrepresentation of gender, body type, race and age, as well as the negative effects of these depictions on the public, aiming to reveal the malevolent nature of the media to typical consumers, and demand change from media executives. Public reaction is as important as content for Van who documents the reception of her work in public spaces where magazine copies have been placed. Van observes that there is a rampant denial of inequality on social media, and she is interested to observe if there is a similar response to her work, despite the rigorous evidence she provides revealing inequality and misrepresentation.