Joana Vasconselos, Marilyn

Joana Vasconselos
Marilyn, 2011
Stainless steel pots and lids, cement
297 x 155 x 410 cm
Courtesy of the artist

Since 2007, Joana Vasconcelos has been initiating a series of works that question women's domestic status. She hijacks banal kitchen objects by associating them with the world of glamour. The artist superimposes stainless steel utensils and world-famous female figures (Marilyn, Dorothy, Carmen Miranda), with a nod to the Cinderella tale and pop culture figures such as Betty Boop. Among the kitchen utensils used for this work is the Silampos number 18, a traditional Portuguese cooking instrument. Drawing on international icons and personal stories, Joana Vasconselos denounces the passive, unrecognized role assigned to women around the world. At the same time, she seeks to break away from the stereotypes that are too often assigned to them.

Born in 1971 in Paris, France. Lives and works in Lisbon, Portugal. Joana Vasconcelos draws on traditional Portuguese culture to compose a visual poetry in which her roots marry the modernity of pop culture. She plays plastically with everyday objects, blurring the boundaries between craft and industry, tradition and modernity, popular and learned culture. Her work takes the form of sculptures and installations, often addressing feminist issues.