If one looks back through the annals of art history, women are largely represented as objects to be “consumed” by the ubiquitous male gaze. This is an unfortunate and all too familiar trope within the scope of art history, and one that Cindy Craig understands all too well. Given the present political moment we find ourselves in, Craig’s work takes on a new kind of prescience. Women’s rights are being stripped away even as I write this, so work that challenges us to consider the various roles women play, largely unwittingly, can only help to further the conversation in a more positive and life-affirming direction. The beauty and strength of Craig’s work is that she approaches the notion of domesticity as a kind of superpower, rather than falling into the familiar trap of rage and accusation. Craig understands that humor can be a very seductive vehicle for change, and she employs it beautifully.
Working in a variety of mediums including painting, drawing, photography, digital imagery and sculpture, Craig forges tough images that mines themes of domesticity, but with a decidedly sardonic wit. In many of her works, we cannot see the figure’s face, and are left only with a constructed narrative that forces us to consider women’s bodies as receptacles or in some cases, stand-ins for furniture. For example, in Pink and Green Decor, a woman is shown sitting on a gorgeous art deco emerald green couch wearing a lampshade that covers her head and face.
In her hand, she holds the requisite proof of original sin, Eve’s apple, burnished as it is and ever so luscious. Despite her willful anonymity, the woman presents to us the fruits of her desire, showcasing it at the center of her chest like a much coveted prize. This specific figure finds her way into many of Craig’s images, and the takeaway is that the apple is in fact a multi-dimensional shape shifting, time travelling symbol of female enlightenment rather than the staid and ever so predictable image of man’s ultimate “downfall.”
Finally, Craig’s use of irreverent humor reminds us that throughout history women have had to subjugate their own personal desires and creativity to cater to the whims of men, yet despite these hardships and inequities, they will always be able to turn the sourest of lemons into lemonade.