With this new body of work, I focus on women’s perceptions of themselves as women of color and how that reflects within a vast digital space, especially in a Jamaican context. Women’s bodies have always created a stir within society, on the basis of, for example, female sexuality, status, motherhood, and race. Black women especially are often objectified in music, literature, film, and the wider society as sexual objects. Many Black women report feeling pressured to act like superwomen, projecting themselves as strong, self-sacrificing, and free of emotion to cope with the stress of race- and gender-based discrimination in their daily lives. We are often stereotyped and portrayed as sassy, ill-mannered, and ill-tempered by nature and always defensive in our tone. Our complexion is too dark to be recognized within certain social groups, and our hair is too textured, among other things. Black women are sometimes seen as supererogatory for being educated and holding our own. Black women have suffered through physical and verbal abuse and toxic relationships for simply wanting more for themselves and their loved ones. Therein lies the ever-present yearning to belong, to be seen and recognized as an individual within particular spaces.

Venus Figurines references both the past and the present. The speculative interpretations of these types of figurines during the paleolithic period are as expressions of beauty, health, fertility, and wisdom; as representations of goddesses; or as self-depictions by female artists. Similar interpretations have been a part of how modern-day society has been socialized to see Black women, but without the corresponding respect.

The complete overview of Monique Gilpin’s featured work can be found in the Kingston Biennial 2022: Pressure Catalogue, which is available for sale in the NGJ Gift Shop.