Kawita Gilbert
She/Her
I like pink.
She/Her
I make paintings with thick acrylic paint generously piped using icing bags. An excess, especially of pink, is central to my art. My paintings are made to look edible, tempting, but also bordering on grotesque in their overabundance. Exploring how the colour pink functions as a performance of femininity through gendered socialisation and consumption, my work dissects how pink has been commodified as a means of marketing femininity. Overall, I aim for my paintings to exist as a battle between desire and the dread of consuming.
Working with a range of cool and warm pinks, I create paintings with many layers of piped acrylic paint. I utilise expanding foam to subdue the heavy weight of the paint. The process of mixing shades of pink, with flexible modelling paste, filling icing bags and piping over and over again is slow and mechanical, reflecting the unseen labour behind overconsumption. The nature of my process is key to the integrity of my art.
My previous works are inspired by Rococo, with an emphasis on their fashion, reputation of excess and indulgence, and aesthetics for the sake of looking pretty. My work’s relationship with Rococo is tied to my research on overconsumption and excess of goods.
Outside of Rococo and themes of excess, my older work is backed by my handmade Lolita fashion dresses. The excess of pink frills, bows and lace emphasising a ‘too cute’ appearance.