This is a body of work concerned with the American rapper Nicki Minaj. In her lyrics she discuss misogyny and power structures—however in her visual language she seemingly exploit stereotyped images of black women's sexuality—tracing all the way back to the inception of American slavery. I find this conflict fascinating.
Through these works I wanted to see if it was possible to produce a poetic alliance with Minaj's imagery. I saw how she was constantly misunderstood—specially by white academic feminist though. Therefore, through a new guardianship in my studio I have taking Minaj's imagery and re-used her method of challenging race-stereotypical images as a means of assisting her in the mission to spell out, enhance, superimpose and, perhaps, even discharge these loaded images. But being a privileged white Scandinavian woman am I even allowed to do this? Am I enforcing structures I do not support..?—simply because painting these images while living in a white body?
“The arts” might not be completely free after all. Find more writings on this conflict here.
Installation view at Sommer & Kohl, Berlin, DE
The Painted Legs Weave, 2013
130 x 80 cm, oil on 2 canvases, woven together
The Minaj Castle, 2015
Installation of 26 paintings of 46 x 65 cm, oil on canvas, 255 x 260 cm
Installation view at Sommer & Kohl, Berlin, DE
Installation view at Sommer & Kohl, Berlin, DE
The Oh My Gosh Weave, 2015
210 x 368 cm, oil on 2 canvases, woven together
Installation view at Sommer & Kohl, Berlin, DE
Detail of a larger series entitled Minaj Glass Engravings
40,7 x 32,4 cm, framed images, engraving on glass
installation view from THE MINAJ SHOW at Sommer & Kohl, Berlin, DE
The Rouge Minaj Triptych, 2015
Triptych; 3 pieces of 3 pieces 46 x 65 cm each, oil on canvas
The Virus Minaj Triptych, 2015
Triptych; 3 pieces of 46 x 65 cm each, oil on canvas
The Folies Bergère Scenery, 2015
Edition of 5 copies, copperplate etchings on paper, 2013 with Atelier Larsen, SE
This is my first large scale Nicki Minaj weave, 2014
200 x 200 cm, oil on 2 canvases, woven together, unstretched
The Surfy Minaj Triptych, 2015
Triptych; 3 pieces of 46 x 65 cm each, oil on canvas
The Minaj Pants Triptych, 2015
Triptych; 3 pieces of 46 x 65 cm each, oil on canvas
The Mardi Gras Minaj Triptych, 2015
Triptych; 3 pieces of 46 x 65 cm each, oil on canvas
My Ass is an Other/ My Ass is a Present Too, 2015
27 x 35 cm, oil on canvas
The Pink Painting, 2014
22 x 27 cm, oil on canvas
The Folies Bergère Scenery, 2015
19 x 24 cm, oil on canvas