The Next Generation – Shari Phoenix

Slicing the Gaze

Everything about the work of Shari Phoenix is sharp, intentional, and perceptive. This becomes clearer the closer one gets to the laser-focused voice and vision of the Barbados-based painter and costume maker. Phoenix’ direct and imaginative deconstructed designs and compositions address issues of representation, gender, and race. Phoenix has an exceptional gift for displacing and twisting the pre-conditions of the viewer’s gaze and in fact engages with the concept of the gaze in artwork and its relationship to representations in general. Proof of Phoenix’ creative genius is really found within the artist’s exploration of the figure of Eve and new interpretations of Carnival costume culture. Within Phoenix’ oeuvre, you will see the use of costume and the female form in not only unexpected, but challenging and exacting ways. This is also an accurate description of the artistic vision of Shari Phoenix as a whole; to not only provide the unexpected, but to confront and meddle in whatever perceptions or views one holds beforehand.

Part One: Who is Shari Phoenix?

Question #2: Who are you as an artist?

As an artist, I am a rebel, I am bold and ruthless in my work. I am not concerned too much about if people like my work or not. Although I would like to think someone would still like it and buy it. My work tries to make people think about uncomfortable things such as the body and racial injustice, which is another body of work I tend to work on.

Question #3: What do you think about while creating?

I try to think about the concept i’m working on. Constantly trying to make it deeper or stronger.

Question #4: What is something you wish someone had told you at some point in your life?

I wish someone had told me how hard life really is. People tend to say ah life is difficult but you never truly understand it until you reach adulthood. It isn’t without its rewards though.

Question #5: Why do you need art your life?

Art grounds me, its my job as well as my therapy and my stress relief.

Question #6: Is your artwork for yourself or for others?

My artwork is for myself as much as it is for others. My artwork questions many things I see within myself and I see within the society.

Question #7: What is your escape?

Art is my escape, as well as watching tv shows, anime and reading manga

Part Two: Eve and More

How would you describe your artistic practice?

“Eve” as she is represented by many male artist over the years embodies the ideal image of an European woman and thus creates entry point to examine ideas of beauty and perfection. Carnival as Mikhail Bakhtin theorizes becomes a free space to transform Eve’s image from her traditional representation. Her physical form is recreated through deformity and defilement in the time of the carnivalesque using Caribbean carnival fashion and Grotesque realism. Utilizing the dualistic nature of the topsy turvy world of medieval carnival, Eve and the costume transcends the ideas of societal beauty and perfection.
While embodying her own dualistic qualities in which she is perfect and became flawed as a result of the fall of man; the costume occupies the middle ground between eve’s dualism.
The costume is made of recycled material to emphasize the imperfection of the recreated form. The recreated body references womanhood, motherhood and Caribbean tropical flora and fauna as the Garden of Eden.
The story of Adam and Eve is referred within the entirety of my work with a distinct focus on Eve. The figure Adam becomes a prop; a part of the background which acts as a reference or he becomes the embodiment of the male gaze. A figure which is to be destroyed or ignored before we celebrate the liberation of the female body

Where/ How can Vacant Museum viewers see more of your work and where can they purchase it?

They can find me on instagram.