sara and grace by Grace Barnes
| Availability: | In stock (1) |
Details:
- acrylic painting
- size: 10" x 10"
- available after the close + deinstallation of exhibit (mid-May 2025)
Major: Fine Art, 2025
Artist Statement:
Grace Barnes is an interdisciplinary artist who combines fashion and committed activism. Her life work intertwines whimsical creativity with an intense passion for social and environmental causes. Steering the worlds of fashion, art, and activism, Grace searches topics of women's empowerment, animal rights, and environmental care through her vibrant and playful creations. Inspired by a spirited, childlike soul, Barnes uses old toys and non-traditional materials in her designs, bringing new life to left-behind objects and inspiring her work with a feeling of wonder. Her fashion pieces are more than physical—they are storytelling platforms that cherish the strength and beauty of women while also bringing attention to the interconnectedness of all living creatures and the natural world. Grace’s art showcases whimsical pictures of women, animals, nostalgia, and nature, creating a conversation that highlights their significance and promotes their rights. Her viewpoint combines aesthetic joy with meaningful activism, allowing viewers to engage with and think about the beauty and dynamic nature of her art. Grace Barnes has exhibited her artwork at the Porous Gallery at Columbia College Chicago. Additionally, her designs were shown in the Body Haven fashion show, an on-campus club committed to showcasing student fashion for all body types.
My work showcases gender, identity, and societal insight through handmade paper, collage, printmaking, and photography. Intertwining fine arts with environmental consciousness, I reuse found objects and recycled materials to consider the durability and intricate ways of the human experience.
In a series of handmade paper works, I use collaged words and Barbie doll magazines to examine the realities of womanhood. These works combine the hyper-feminine imagery of Barbie with assorted texts, questioning beauty standards, assumptions, and autonomy.
My photography explores the difficulties and beauties of the woman experience. The first
piece showcases the joy of women, while another details the performative parts of femininity, playing with props and background to connect to vulnerable positions in womanhood. The last piece allows for viewers to get a glimpse of how society targets women specifically through advertisements.
Finally, a piece connecting two women in love cherishes intimacy, tenderness, and the rebellion of societal chains. It celebrates authenticity and emotional connection, strengthening love in a beautiful way.
Through material, imagery, and message, my art sets off conversation on gender, power, and insight, welcoming viewers to reflect on their roles in these stories.
