Instagram: @jennafoxartist // Website: https://jjfoxartist.weebly.com/
Bio
Exploring trauma, women and family connections, control and the domestic are central to the work I make; in relation to universal debates on feminism, home, gender, and identity. Expectations of the role of women and the pressures of juggling and keeping life and soul together are ongoing themes. The burden has fallen back to women with covid, seeing an increase in domestic violence and 40,000 addition calls to the Domestic Abuse hotline - and all the while women are taking the brunt of homeschooling, working, feeding the dog, and looking like a goddess. I make sculptures, installations, photography, and performance pieces which are the external manifestations of these debates. I work on a number of different bodies of work at the same time, thereby allowing the intertwining conversations to influence my work. Often kitsch, tongue in cheek, and playful the work stick it’s tongue out at life’s hardships and as a coping mechanism to burden. I have been able to source broken furniture from women’s refuges centres and use this within my work and have interviewed a number of women at the centres.
FIVE QUESTIONS
1 - Could you explain your practice? Only you know why you do what you do. Exploring trauma, women and family connections, control and the domestic are central to the work I make; in relation to universal debates on feminism, home, gender, and identity. Expectations of the role of women and the pressures of juggling and keeping life and soul together are ongoing themes. I typically work on multiple works at the same time and let them feed into each other. I have a hybrid, cross-media practice and will use the most appropriate form for the message.
2 - Is art relevant today? I truly hope so. From the strategic – to effecting change and engaging social conscience to the tactical, where it brings a smile or makes someone pause for a moment. Art is our temperature gauge and reflects the zeitgeist and I hope agitates as well as pacifies the soul.
3 – We are always asked what other artists influence us, we want to know what art you don’t like and which influences you? Emin remains a huge influence as she was a female light in a male domain. Her work being so confessional draws the viewer in. I love the way that she is constantly learning and is tenacious to the last. I also love the works of Rachel Whiteread and would love to have the funds to create big, bold structures from “man” made materials. And, Rachel Kneebone – her V&A tower is simply wonderful. And secretly, Grayson Perry …
4- If you could go back 10-20 years what would you tell your younger self? I would have to go back 40 years as then I was 15 and had just taken my art O’level (A) and that was my art career over. I would tell myself the same as I do my children ... work hard believe In yourself. As artists, it’s a constant knockback but I think about the boxer’s mantra, it’s not about being knocked down, it’s about getting up again.
5 – If you could go forward 10-20 years what do you hope to have done or not done? To have gained a Ph.D. To have gained traction with my practice, and be represented by a gallery. To connect with the community – I so admire Theaster Gates and how he has galvanised folk and I have a number of ideas once I have completed my MA at RCA in June.
Watch my Film: “Sometimes there are no answers … “ https://vimeo.com/499977620 (2 minutes)
