It's Called Art Mum - Look It Up

Polly Nor

18 AUGUST - 22 AUGUST 2017

Protein Studios

Free

Best known for her disturbing and comical illustrations, Nor's work is based around a feminine ideal and the societal pressures women face in our modern world. A mix of hand drawn images, digital images and recent sculptures - Nor's exhibition It's Called Art Mum - Look It Up tells a story of anxiety, disappointment and the quest for self-love.

Nor has been commissioned by organisations such as Bloomsbury Publishing, Dazed Digital, Hunger, Dr Martens, Complex Magazine and Gucci. She has her own line of phone cases: www.swagmycase.com/collections/polly-nor, as well as T-Shirts and prints for sale, available from online shop: www.pollynorstore.co.uk.

I stumbled across Nor's exhibition advertised on Facebook and was instantly interested. Paying homage to the 21st century girl, Nor's titles are a collection of puns, and the work is not only incredibly skillful, but also contains incredibly clever hidden messages. The work relates directly with the youth of today, who are sucked into the world of technology and expectations to be the best, prettiest, skinniest, richest, most successful, etc. etc.

Titles such as 'Couldn't Crop It Out', 'Real Woman', 'Learned to hide my crazy' (above) and 'She only swipes right on Sundays' pay homage to the modern world of Instagram and Tinder, whilst also highlighting the pressures of femininity and the stereotypes of women being erratic and hysterical. Titles such as 'Nm Rly Wbu' (below) and 'Treat Yourself' are seriously funny when paired with the paintings, containing a relatable realism which so much art today fails to capture.

My favourite image of the exhibition is titled 'The Last Girl Left At The After Party' which shows a naked blonde girl dancing the with devil - quite literally. She is surrounded by 6 of these devilish males, all drinking beer or wine, and one playing guitar. This image differs from the rest in that the female remains human, whilst quite obviously being sexualised and idolised by these masculine demons. The vibrancy of Nor's work makes it instantly attractive, and once this is teamed with satirical and humorous subject matter there really isn't anything not to love.

As well as her drawings and digitalised images, It's Called Art Mum - Look It Up also contains sculpture and an interactive installation of a bedroom, where many of her works are set. The books on the wall further reinstate Nor's message as well as her darkly funny and striking feminist stance. Nor attended the exhibition all days herself, sitting cool as a cucumber, observing those observing her work. I am 100% a fan girl, she is fabulous, funny and pretty damn fantastic. The exhibition is over now but I would definitely recommend attending a future exhibition of Nor's work, because like her "shedding skin" series of handmade liquid latex human skins, it's got to be better in the flesh.... (pun fully intended).