Images of naked women are so dense with markers of pornography that the two are sometimes hard to separate. When (apart from on the walls of an art gallery), is female nudity not seen as pornography, then? Naked lady embroidery, anyone?
It’s the off-kilter combination of intricate needlepoint – ‘women’s work’, the pastime of the privileged and oppressed – with an unapologetic reclamation of female nudity that makes these pieces – all produced by women – feel different, celebratory. These nudes are freeing the nipple, freeing the bush, freeing that weird pouchy bit over the ribs (just me?) with pencil and paper. Welcome to craft feminism, and it’s coming to a sweatshirt near you.
Rosie Beard
Illustrator and artist Rosie Beard’s rainbow-haired nudes (and yes, the carpet matches the drapes) frolic across cushions, canvases and a really cool pair of jeans. And long may they frolic.
Clio Peppiatt
Clio’s colourful and brilliantly weird designs are dotted with rocketships, smiley face clouds and snooty cats, but her bare-naked lady, a dancing Isadora Duncan-looking figure, raises money for the Dahlia Project, which supports survivors of Female Genital Mutilation.
Good For Nothing Embroidery
Marie Sophie Lockhart’s line-stitching brings retro pin-up girls, in high heels, sunglasses, and compromising positions, to life on raw-edged classic blue jeans.
Itchy Scratchy Patchy
These iron-on patches are the love child of model Edie Campbell and artist Christabel MacGreevy. My favourite, the friends with benefits patch, is the spitting image on a life model class I drew once. Maybe it’s her, who knows. Maybe she’s the everywoman.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.