SMOCK
AN EXPLORATION INTO FEMALE performance artist by fiona kain
In this series, she presents a series of paintings of artists' smocks. Inspired by the Mr. Freedom British Summer Collection from 1971, their bold contrasting colors become a symbol for the artist. Her distinctive use of clean lines and planes of color combined with her plays of typography and amalgamated imagery to transform each utilitarian garment into a portal through time. In a conflation of imagery, she reframes the history of modern and contemporary art.
Australian artist Fiona Kain creates minimalist compositions that blend traditional painting with digital technology. With a background in Fine Art and Design, she begins her work digitally before transferring it to canvas using acrylics paints. Her clean lines and monochromatic palette focus on everyday objects, reimagining them in new contexts. Kain’s style distills complex narratives, revealing hidden layers and subtexts in her subjects. Her latest exploration - SMOCK, explores female performance artist.
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ANA
Adorned with feathers, clocks, text, and geometric shapes viewers decipher a story of the past retold through new eyes. The story of Ana Mendieta, a notable artist pushing the boundaries of the body and performance, has become one of the great tragedies of modern art.
MARINA
In this series, she presents a series of paintings of artists' smocks. Inspired by the Mr. Freedom British Summer Collection from 1971, their bold contrasting colors become a symbol for the artist. Her distinctive use of clean lines and planes of color combined with her plays of typography and amalgamated imagery to transform each utilitarian garment into a portal through time. In a conflation of imagery, she reframes the history of modern and contemporary art.
FLORENCE
This piece draws inspiration from International Women’s Day and the tragic murder of Sarah Everard in South London in 2020. It also reflects on the unresolved mystery of Florence Broadhurst’s death.
In 1977, Florence Broadhurst was found murdered in her studio in Paddington, Sydney. Despite the passing of nearly 45 years, the case remains unsolved, but this artwork aims to honor Broadhurst’s life, intertwining elements of her murder into its symbolism.
Florence Broadhurst was a woman of many talents and personas. From her early years as a dancer in Shanghai to her time as Madame Pellier in London, and finally, as a renowned wallpaper designer in Sydney, she reinvented herself time and again.
Her story is a fascinating one—full of color, mystery, and reinvention—but there’s also a darker, unresolved chapter in her life. She represents yet another woman whose life was cut short by violence, the reasons for which remain unclear. Despite the tragedy, Broadhurst’s legacy lives on in the stunning designs she left behind—a testament to a woman who, before the age of surveillance, was able to live under countless guises and still left an indelible mark on the world.