The Nuances of Femininity and Subverting the Portrayal
of Women: Visionary Art of Fatima J Franks
Orange County’s local and Pakistani- American artist Fatima Frank’s most recent works show stylized figurative images using a multidisciplinary approach. Her medium of choice is varied from digital brushes, oils on canvas, sculptures/ceramics, and moving images/film.
While intersecting feminism and culture, Franks’ work subverts the image of women in current as well as historical documentation. The images are represented with heavy use of socially charged cultural issues related to the female gender and their role in society. During her formal art education at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, in Pakistan Franks was drawn to the painterly techniques of European Old Masters as well as the intricacies of Persian Mogul Period paintings. She had a strong interest in repeating patterns used with the human form. “The idea of synergizing aesthetics with heavily layered meanings in my work is how I’d like to present my recent practice. The translucent overlapping of surfaces acts as a form of veneer to coat the gullibility and vulnerability of the credulous naïveté of the satirized subjects”
Through a variety of ways traditional and new media, the multidisciplinary artist developed a focused body of works by narrating common stereotypes of societies and the perceived role of women in our times.
“I use a tone of feminist commentary as an attempt to retransition and subvert the cultural views on women as not being one dimensional to be objectified as things.” Franks’ work often times projects eroticism however to negate the perceived notions of women as objects of pleasure and projects her subjects with dignity and thinking abilities. The Neon, and the Faded Ladies (IV: A Party II)
Franks creates complex collages of the female body by the exploration of her heritage and identity as a woman with patterned designs similar to Persian carpets, ancient Islamic tessellations, and Quranic scripture. Franks uses hybrid women by mocking stereotyped notions of the exotic woman by persuading the viewer with inquiries about beauty, gender, race, and geography. Her work emblazons the images of women as commodities and often presents the female gender with eroticization as satire.
“Through idealism of feminist theories loaded with issues which tend to regurgitate still today. I reference intersectionality between men and women by interrogation and to reflect on inequities based on an individual’s ability, class, gender, race, sex, and sexuality.”
One of the many intriguing images of the small-scaled miniature is the pony-tailed heads occupying a passive space that supports a connection to an interesting use of a recurrent dialogue. It is described by the artist as Franks emanates the exquisitely rendered ‘Doll Heads’ by her delicate manner of addressing culturally diverse questions. The silhouetted forms evoke a sense of mystery in her work.
“The portrayal of the shadow heads breezing through is created as means to highlight action or as a mark of an encrypted penumbra of an eclipsed reality. These tiny silhouetted forms reveal the oxymorons of hidden and simultaneously plain view ominous oppressed women. These are typically shadow problems of culture and society.”
The symbol of the multitude of disembodied floating heads acts as a conceptualized account of the speech. By using these eclipsed heads is symbolism that has emerged from a varied supply of sources and often times women’s personal stories. I am emphasizing the idea of non-objectification of women in our culture.”
The Conveyer Belt shows women as commodities for the consumer. They are moving on phantom cleats by the patriarchal pulley system. Each woman plays an essential component in the unit’s operation. There isn’t any specificity with race and are hybrid beautiful varied wrappings on these women. There are multiple figures devoid of heads as though they have no significance to their entities. They are deliberately unidentifiable and viewed for objectification. The figures are more aligned in a symmetrical manner signifying order and laid out doctrines. These squatting figures are montaged with stamped labels of deliberately unreadable Quranic scriptures. Perhaps to signify religious beliefs and restrictions laid upon women of the culture she grew up in. These eerily haunting disembodied figures seem to be adorned with silk woven fabrics with ornate intricate layered Islamic patterns.
“The works are evidently relying on the fundamentals of the Copernican Revolution of women to be given equal rights as men.” There is evidently a reason as to why the equality of the genders is compared to the Heliocentric system as being essential components of a balanced playground of planets being in each other’s peripherical galaxy. The same goes for the women’s fundamental revolution to become an integral ingredient in the dynamics of life challenging conventions.”
Her Film Surraiya and the Ancestral Spindle; a narrative in a form of a social commentary, was filmed in Laguna Beach, California.
“The sea was very rough that day and it was a challenge as it was not a favorable environment to film that day. The artist and her crew along with the mannequin found a secluded spot at the beach but soon attracted a large crowd to add to the ordeal of public filming on a small budget.
“We had to put stakes through the sand to prop the figure.” We lost light by the time we had finished filming, the tide was high and I almost got swept by a huge wave which was brutal. Luckily the camera equipment and props were water-resistant. Thankfully my crew was surely a huge help pulling me out of the water!”
The idea behind the film is about a character Surraiya, an entity in simulacrum reality who is defying the forces of nature. She seems to be having an introspection and an inner dialogue with herself. She is powerful, and defiant and epitomizes strength, and resilience by her haunting presence standing tall and unshakable. Despite being porcelain and fine china; Surraiya stands steadfast through the tests of time redefining her identity.
