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Teena McCarthy Self Portrait as Bush Mary, 2017 Silk/Blend and Wood
ARTIST STATEMENT In this work, I have reconstructed the Holy Trinity into the Feminine - The infinite fertility Spirit, that is Mother Earth. The ‘Bush Marys’ “the help” worked as Domestic Servants, going from Station to Station. Their jobs varied, they provided “service” and other forms of slavery such as Cleaner, to Cook, to Wet-Nurse, caring for the Stationmaster, his wife, children, and often having the children of Mr Boss. It is my Intention in this work, to give a face to the faceless, a name for the nameless, an acknowledgement for these fierce and strong woman and to make the once ‘Hidden’ Visible again. When are the Bush Mary’s Coming? She is the non virgin, used for the carnal She has no voice She is her body She comes out of the bush Out of the dark Into the light She returns back to the bush Into the darkness She is the ‘Holy Ghost’. The 65th Blake Prize