Painting
Elaine Maloney
SUSPENSION
Elaine is a figurative artist whose work seeks to capture the disruption of the role of women in the world today. Her interest in the expectations that are placed on both sexes and the ongoing change in societal beliefs was the inspiration for her compositions. Traditionally, responsibilities in the home were considered ‘women’s work’. In the wake of the ‘me too’ movement and various changes in gender rights this tradition is being questioned and re-evaluated. This interpretation of a glimpse of a society on the cusp of a great change is inspired by the artists interest is the recent social and political environment in Ireland particularly the abortion debate which heavily included the use of art activism in the ‘Yes’ campaign. These paintings strive to capture the aftermath of these events and how the ongoing changes are yet to be realized as the social norm. The female figure is central, expressionless and void of power in compositions that explore the struggle for identity. Gender equality on both sides is an ongoing process. Elaine engages with a combination of gestural brushstrokes and subtle detail to elaborate the underlying tensions of the figure and to create a peculiar and disconcerting environment.