PROTESTERS & PUSSIES (2026)
The politics of the street and the absurdity of the internet combined into one body of collage and digital work, evolving for over a decade.
PROTESTERS & PUSSIES (2026)
The Protesters (2011-2019) series began as an artistic exploration of physical and digital collage, reflecting the riots and protests of the time, sourced from newsprint media. In 2011 the London Riots, were catalysed by the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan by a police officer.
The (Sinister) Pussies series began, as an exploration of the popularity of cats on the internet and the arrest of Pussy Riot members in March 2012 following their "punk prayer" performance inside Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. In January 2017, the ‘pussy hat protest’ was the largest single day protest in American history at the time. An estimated 3.5 million people participated.
The series evolved to include work commissioned as part of a community project to raise awareness about the plights of incarcerated women and the impact of the closure of Holloway Prison in July 2016.
Many of the revolutionary slogans featured come from the works of the Situationist International (1957-1972), predominately accredited to The Society of the Spectacle (Debord, 1967) and The Revolution of Everyday Life (Vaneigem, 1967). These ideas were influential in shaping the 1968 insurrections in France.
Protesters & Pussies was first shown at Flaxton Pouch in June 2017, as part of Gilded Pleasures. ‘C.W. Stubbs designed the series to explore the intersection of a dystopian, Orwellian future and the immense, contrasting popularity of cats on the internet.’
Protesters & Pussies explores the constants of power, inequality and misogyny.
Protesters & Pussies (2026) Comprises of digital and collage works from 2011-2019.
Some works have been updated to reflect a correction of a previous translation.
TBC -
The original ‘Sinister Pussy’ collection emerged after completing a course at the Slade School of Art. The work was originally shown at the Vibe Gallery, Shoreditch as a successful solo show in 2013. I was intrigued by a particularly dystopian Orwellian quote regarding the future of the human race. I’d used the Freud imagery in larger murals alongside the cats to invoke a dreamlike anthropomorphism.
When creating the second series, inspiration came from seeing many slogans appropriated from the 1960’s second wave of feminism as well as from the works of the Situationist International (S.I).
Although many decades have passed the relevance remained the same.
The third series ‘Holloway’ focused on the empowering and radical women of the past that created social change thru protest and the effects their lives had on society. Nasty Women vigorously promoted and encourages women artists. Promoting the Nasty Women of the past allows us to acknowledge and continue in their legacy.
