Hello,
Gillie and Marc art has now arrived at Notion. So exciting to have such an exciting edition to the Notion family. Art is an inspiration behind the fabulous fashion that I sell and promote. Art is what you see but what you also make others see, art is therapy. I am a huge fan like so many of you towards our amazing inspirational artists Gillie and Marc. We love them for their huge support towards conservation, endangered species and also women’s rights. As a woman I know first hand how damn hard it is out there and have faced my fair share of people talking down to me. We need more leaders in this world that continue to rattle the perception of women and what we are capable of as human beings. Enough of me let’s hear about the inspiration behind our fab Jacinda Ardern print by Gillie and Marc.
Jacinda Ardern by Gillie and Marc
Jacinda Ardern is a New Zealand politician serving as the 40th and current Prime Minister of New Zealand since October 26, 2017. She has also served as the Leader of the Labour Party since August 1, 2017.
After graduating from the University of Waikato in 2001, Ardern began her career working as a researcher in the office of Prime Minister Helen Clark. She later worked in the United Kingdom as a policy advisor to British Prime Minister Tony Blair. In 2008, she was elected President of the International Union of Socialist Youth.
Ardern describes herself as a social democrat and a progressive. She is the world’s youngest female head of government, having taken office at age 37. Ardern became the world’s second elected head of government to give birth while in office when her daughter was born on June 21, 2018.
On August 26, Women’s Equality Day 2019, artists Gillie and Marc Schattner are bringing to life a dream, the move towards equal representation in women statues.
In a moment of deep self-reflection, they realized they had been contributing to the lack of women representation in their public art. However, the artists decided they could not sit back and let history repeat itself. Something has to change, and so with their new project, ‘Statues for Equality,’ they have self-funded ten new women statues.
Because of this project, New York is becoming the first city to change the dynamics considerably – as the ten women are launched the percentage of female statues in the city will jump from 3% to 9%. The project will launch at RXR Realty’s iconic Avenue of the Americas.
Joining the ten ‘Statues for Equality’ are portraits of each woman in a groundbreaking new show that expresses diversity and gender equality. Exhibiting alongside their permanent statue sisters at 61 Broadway, NYC, they will be on show for the public for 12 months.
The women are painted on fabric from around the world, just as they as women represent the diversity of womankind, as do the soft materials that embody strength. Each piece has its own texture, shape, and feel.
The women’s faces are depicted in black and white, where each line becomes part of the narrative of the portraits, revealing the fine attention to detail from the artists. However, their hair and clothes are full of color and patterns to challenge the ideals of how women should present themselves in society.
The use of fabric can take literal meaning, as well; even though the material is soft, beautiful, and used as a way to express individuality. Fabric is also a carrier: babies are held close to us in wraps of material; when we cannot hold everything, we use it to transport goods and objects; and it dresses us, for warmth and support.
The metaphor extends into the roles of women, and Gillie and Marc’s clever use of this medium reminds us again how important women are to our lives and the basis of society. Fabric is also another way to show our individuality.
Just as the ten women statues, made out of bronze and standing larger than life, can teach us something about diversity and gender equality, so will these fabric portraits showcase softer, tender moments of intimate and feminine representatives.
For the next 12 months, Gillie and Marc are aiming to paint 100 women, voted for by the public, who inspire greatness in our societies.
#womenforequality will become an extension of #statuesforequality – use the hashtag to vote for the most inspirational women you know, and take a photo with the paintings and statues to share Gillie and Marc’s message of equality.
Thank you
Again so thank you for all the amazing support people around the world being to Notion, I am ever so grateful.
Megan xx Chocolate Queen