Gabriella Vukman
Exploring the landscapes of gender equality, Warburton artist and photographer Suzanne Phoenix’s first hand cut collage exhibition opened August 21.
The exhibition will be held at Nancy’s café in Yarra Junction, where the works will feature upon the cafe’s walls.
Suzanne’s work depicts an array of vintage and gothic ensembles, highlighting the Hollywood eras prior and during the 70s.
“I always have a focus on women and non-binary people and… I’m interested in challenging the normal stereotypes so the collage is a way for me to do that in a different way,” Suzanne said.
Growing up reading magazines and watching television during the ’70s, Suzanne describes herself as “have[ing] an affinity” with this imagery. Compiling this somewhat retro and analogue Hollywood epoch with the Australian landscape ties the two worlds of natural and falsified reality together.
Articulating the didactic relationship between an artist and their work, Suzanne notes how public exposure changes this relationship.
“It feels quite vulnerable to put them out into the world,” Suzanne said.
“It’s always a bit daunting and once you’ve handed it over, you’ve handed it over.”
Knuckling down on her artistry during the pandemic, Suzanne said “without lockdown I don’t know that I would have got here.”
Asserting that these pieces are “a much more personal work in a lot of ways than the photography… I… do”, Suzanne outlines the “very different process” that accompanies her upcoming collage exhibition.
Suzanne said her favourite artwork, from this collection (the image titled ‘Faceless 5’), is “one that many people…[say] don’t put that one in there.”
“It’s scary and it’s disturbing” Suzanne said.
“I think it shows that that… typical Hollywood beauty…siren on the screen…but actually that’s just a façade…You’re looking into her soul in there which is much more complicated.”
Claiming to have always been a “science kid,” with no intention of becoming an artist, Suzanne’s advice for upcoming artists is to “just do it.”
“Explore and see where you get to and if you want to exhibit in places …your local cafes are great.”
Having previously exhibited collections with Nancy’s owner Emily, Suzanne said “I feel really honoured to have…my…artworks up on her walls.”
