lizz

I had an amazing conversation with Lizz in the fall that would’ve set the creative tone for my whole summer had we not all decided to stay home instead. I’ve had some very intense feelings surrounding the toxic effects that religion has had on my life and was looking forward to making some dark and angry shock art to process it. I’d known about Lizz’s affinity for all things witchy and that she had a scholar’s take on demonology, which I absorbed intently. In the end, the resonant thought she left me with was to consider art-making more as the beginning to a conversation, rather than flipping everyone off. Sage advice, to say the least. 

I specifically chose a ‘hero shot’ look for Lizz’s main portrait because I wanted to represent the way I feel her deep critical thinking resonated throughout the room that day. A meandering chat about devised theatre lead to an early look at what would become her pre-thesis work, Hexenlied. It was to explore “songs and rituals, a broomstick party, an orgasmic burning at the stake, and general tomfoolery.” It sounded like a brilliant exploration of traditions that have been forgotten, maligned or co-opted over time. I had hoped to absorb much influence and take it forward into my own work. Alas. 

And then at the very end, she started making faces. “Run with that, its amazing, make it as weird as you like,” I said. What a brilliant day.