Based on a 19th century photograph (Turkische Frau, 1870) by Felix Bonflis, the woman in this painting towers over the landscape. While we behold her, she beholds us. Our almost instinctive knowledge of her objectification and subjugation is counter balanced by the incongruity of her setting, pointing to the complexities of adornment, tribal belonging and power.

Because the original photograph is so beautiful - the mood, silence, shape, and textures of the garment and the lace face-cover - I’ve gone back to it a few times. I am struck by how, as a photograph, the figure is passive and pathetic, yet when ‘interpreted’ in painting or collage, it takes on strength.

This painting celebrates female form, power and undeniable presence. The draped woman is both an image of oppression and an object of beauty. For a recent exhibition, Made to Measure, (curated by Polly Hollyoak and myself), I appliquéd a digital cotton copy of this painting onto a contemporary silver dress - a dress on a dress, where the 19th century meets the space age. Here she is like a rocket, both yonic and phallic, and reminiscent of Harry Gordon’s 1968 ‘Giant Rocket’ disposable paper poster dress. (Gordon’s dress has been discussed in terms of its phallic imagery; the rocket appears to impale the model.)

In past work I have explored the impacts of the still image, the anonymous historical image, and existing and imposed narratives, especially as they relate to women in terms of oppression, sexual jealousy, misogyny, empowerment and identity. I’ve painted women in burka in my Abaya Series - commenting on the imposition of the facial veil and the oppression of anonymity - and in my Unreadable Presence Series - looking at imposed and chosen anonymity. With this work, I have attempted something more subtle yet more imposing. I think this may be the last of my covered women paintings.