The Miami Art Blog by Heike Dempster

You are participating in the group show “Girls run this Motha!#%” at WYN317 in Wynwood. Why did you decide to be a part of this exhibit?

As an emerging female artist in Miami it is of course in my interest to represent my work in this show and to inspire other female artists to be independent and free in expression. I`ve always been very much a "tom boy" kind of girl, never scared of confrontation and to get down and dirty, climb fences, sort through trash to build something or use as canvas etc. These were things most girls rather not do. They preferred to stay in safe surroundings and talk about boys, whereas I was hanging out with them as buddies. It took me a while to discover my female side and not to be scared of showing off that I`m a women and act ladylike. 

What do Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day mean to you?

I honestly wasn’t even aware that a Women`s History Month and International Women`s Day existed.  To me that’s every day. We have female politicians, CEO`s and scientists and have had them for decades, maybe not enough of them but it’s all good. Why does there need to be a month or specific day dedicated to something so natural and profound? That’s like saying you only need to be aware of AIDS and breast cancer on a certain day or for one month and then forget about it for the rest of the year. I am not a fan of these "... days" not even a fan of birthdays. I think to create equality among the genders, which is impossible, because we are men and women and it’s a scientific fact that we are different, both anatomically and psychologically. We need to act "as if...". That is a key principle to success in every regard. Is there a "Man History Month" or "International Men`s day"?? I don’t know, but I believe there isn’t...

How do you interpret Girl Power in your art?

I have, for quite some time, been very intrigued by Greek and ancient mythology, in which females play a huge role. Way more than in later literature. In classic mythology women possess strong attributes of power and wisdom, not only beauty and compassion. How is it, that centuries after powerful goddesses and women with superhero abilities, society went back to portraying women as weak, naive creatures who`s only purpose seemed to be to look pretty and give birth? Of course there were few exceptions, like Johanna from Orleans for example or Queen Mary but for hundreds of years after the Greek and Roman empire, women were barely mentioned and in the past century it boiled down to women being sex-symbols only. Why was Madame Curie never as famous as half naked Marilyn? Because we live in a man`s world!

Please tell us about your work in the exhibition?

My piece in this exhibit shows the Medusa. She was one of the three Gorgon sisters who lived on an island. They had giant wings, golden skin and their hair was of twisting snakes. The Gorgons were feared because of their deadly power of turning anyone who looked at them to stone. Although first described as monster-like creatures, later interpretation depicts them as beautiful and fierce. When I first heard about this exhibit, the show was supposed to be inspired by Beyonce. She, for me, was the ultimate personification of beautiful and fierce, with an incredible presence. The type of woman that enters a room and has everybody magnetically turn their head and freeze. I associated this with the power of the Gorgons of turning people into stone, as well as her signature curly mane which would easily translate to snakes and her gold complexion. All in all I think it’s a perfect and powerful connotation. Beyonce, just like the story of Medusa inspires me as a woman, to be strong, independent and powerful, underlined by beauty and self-expression.

What subjects do you generally explore in your art?

In my art I reflect my inner self, my thoughts on society, the irony and parody in things and people surrounding me. By this, my work usually happens to become very cartoon-ish and comical. Some of it would be best considered pop surrealism, because it often gets a bit dark or sinister, yet wrapped in pop and light-heartedness. That’s why I call it "Blood&Candy". But subjects really vary. However, I don’t just make art as wall decoration. Some pieces perhaps, but I usually go for a "wow" effect, a laugh or a "that’s crazy". I like to make people think and pay attention to detail.

What medium is your favorite and why?

My favorite medium would be acrylic, mixed media or just drawing, but I also like to play with the third dimension and make objects. 

 What other projects are you currently working on?

I do about one painting a month on average, since they are usually quite detailed and I`m also working as a designer freelance. The painting I`m working on currently is a persiflage of M. C. Escher`s famous illustration with the impossible stairs, it is for a real estate investor so it’s basically a maze of buildings in one.

What else do you have planned for 2014?

My biggest project for 2014 is the completion of my comic book "The Superuschi`s" and the production of the short film based on it. I`ve been working on this for the past couple of years and this comic book works as an intro to the two characters, which are two super "bad bitches" and their adventures. It’s a realistic style gangster comedy so it really works as a story board. The plan is to complete the movie and to follow with more episodes after. Speaking of girl power, Superuschi is the ultimate personification of that: A smart, fearless, strong and sexy woman.