Composed Under Compression: A Solo Exhibition by Cat Bowyer presented by Baby Blue Gallery, Chicago, May 2022
文 Text｜凱特．博雅 Cat Bowyer
翻譯 Translation｜謝蕎安 Joanne Hsieh
圖 Image Courtesy ｜凱特．博雅 Cat Bowyer
羅馬柱成為詮釋女人「在職場遭受的不安與壓力下仍保持鎮定優雅」的主要創作框架
以建築比擬人類經驗，並以路易絲．布爾喬亞（Louis Bourgeois）的女人之屋系列（Femme Maison Series）為靈感，「羅馬柱」這個符號成為完美詮釋女人「時時刻刻在職場遭受的不安與壓力之下，仍保持鎮定優雅」的主要創作框架。
針織毛毯那種不拘小節的柔軟特質，加上其原始作用 -- 被踩踏，被鋪上，被睡在其上，最終消失殆盡；我利用針織的這些特質盡情發揮我的插畫敘事。
我過去擔任天主教星期天儀式服務員的那些回憶，以及當時在父權主義下身為二等公民的感受，融合現在完全娛樂及趣味性的創作方式，構建出一個帶有魔幻和邪教意味的嘲諷故事，探討我們如何運用模仿、儀式性與自嘲等方式在職場求生存。
Baby Blue 畫廊文字稿
Baby Blue 畫廊在休館期間，邀請藝術家與教育者凱特．博雅，將畫廊空間當作工作室使用。在近似儀式感的創作方式下，畫廊彷彿是博雅的避風港，在此她創作出充滿趣味的祭壇。這些創作，部分是對於父權主義機構的反諷，同時也是一種純粹趣味的求生技法的表現。代表「壓力下的鎮定」的「羅馬柱」成為象徵女性在生活與職涯中不停歇的壓力與不安。
Composed Under Compression: A Solo Exhibition by Cat Bowyer presented by Baby Blue Gallery, Chicago
Text｜Cat Bowyer
Looking to architecture as metaphor for the human experience and reflecting on Louise Bourgeois’ Femme Maison series, the column became the perfect framework for the constant uneasiness of being ‘composed under pressure’ in womanhood and in professional life. Drawn to rugwork’s non-pretentious qualities in its softness and in its origin of being walked on, laid on, slept on or worn out, I find my illustrative playground. Pulling influences from memories of ex-Catholic altar server Sundays, second place feelings of under the patriarchy and the pure joy found in play, I created a fantastical cult-like satirical narrative that touches on mimicry, ritual and play as modes of survival.
While the gallery was closed to the public, we invited artist and educator Cat Bowyer to utilize the gallery as a studio. Through ritualistic modes of making, the gallery became a temple where she created altars of play. The works are in part satire of patriarchal institutions, but also represent a survival technique through the pure joy of play. The icon of a column ‘Composed Under Pressure’ represents the constant stress and uneasiness in professional life and womanhood.
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