Are we too loud

Through my work, I aim to challenge the silence that allows the patriarchy to thrive and inspire social change. My portraits of women represent diverse cultures, illustrating the shared experiences of living under patriarchy. At first, I wanted to focus on anonymous women but as my body of work evolved and especially when Rebecca Cheptege was set alight in "woman's month" (August) by her life partner (CNN), I knew I had to draw the circle wider and include her and more famous women in my body of work.

In my own experience, patriarchy operates in the workplace through issues like the gender pay gap and male intimidation. Women are expected to remain nurturing, silent angels, even in professional settings-expectations rooted in patriarchal values.

Inspired by Penny Siopis, I use wood glue to layer tissue paper to create a firm surface. This technique symbolises the multiple roles women are expected to fulfil, it also stands for the unwritten rules of patriarchy. The trauma inflicted by patriarchy is stored in the body at a cellular level, reflects generational struggles passed down from our mothers and grandmothers (Chopra 2015, van der Kolk 2014).

My chosen medium includes charcoal, oil pastels, oil-paint, acrylic-paint, and spray paint. I apply the printed tissue paper in many different ways: by incorporating lines, arrows, words, and symbols from sewing patterns into my portraits to suggest the contours and shape of the face. As I grew more confident using tissue paper as a medium, I came to appreciate how intuitively placed paper pieces lend the images a "freedom" to evolve organically. Initially, I used the lines only to outline hair, but this soon evolved into a "painting" process with various shades of tissue paper. Layering tissue paper creates distinct tonal values, which I now use to add depth and texture to the images.

In some of the portraits, unprinted tissue paper from sewing patterns is layered over printed lines, words, and instructions on the first layers of the portraits. This layering, which obscures underlying details, reflects the invisible structures of patriarchy. The paper layers cover parts of the face, symbolising women's limited representation in the corporate world, where they often have less space than men. Covering the marks on the background also speaks to how women, silenced by patriarchal systems, sometimes silence themselves to gain acceptance or to protect the men around them.

The choice of square and rectangular formats is intentional, symbolising the rigid structure of the corporate world. For me, the square stands for male tendencies, while curves might suggest female sensibilities. The square also embodies the confinements of a patriarchal society, rigid and "set in its ways.

Esmelinda Visser
"Close my eyes to see"
Printed tissue paper, oil pastels, acrylic paint, embossed paper on deep edged boxed canvas
40cm x 34cm x 5cm
R 4 800
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Esmelinda Visser
"Witkopkind"
Charcoal, printed tissue paper, oil pastels, acrylic paint, spray paint, paper on boxed canvas (ready to hang)
40cm x 40cm x 5cm
R 4 800
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Esmelinda Visser
"My story"
Liquid charcoal, oil pastel, pencil, printed tissue paper, acrylic paint and spray paint on deep edge boxed canvas
40cm x 40cm x 5cm
R 4 800
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Esmelinda Visser
"Power in a name... and they called her Mantsho"
Acrylic, spray paint, printed tissue paper and oil pastels on stretched canvas (ready to hang)
50cm x 50cm x 4cm
R 5 600
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Esmelinda Visser
"Muse"
Printed tissue paper, oil pastels, acrylic paint, liquid charcoal on deep edged boxed canvas
100cm x 100cm x 5cm
R 23 000
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Esmelinda Visser
"Do you see me?"
Liquid charcoal, oil pastel, pencil, printed tissue paper, acrylic paint and spray paint on deep edge boxed canvas.
40cm x 40cm x 5cm
R 4 800
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Esmelinda Visser
"Queen"
Oil pastels, liquid charcoal, printed tissue paper on deep edge boxed canvas
40cm x 30cm x 5cm
R 2 800
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Esmelinda Visser
"I am enough..."
Oil paint, oil pastels, charcoal, printed tissue paper on layered tissue paper stretched over deep edge wooden frame (Ready to hang)
60cm x 60cm x 5cm
R 8 500
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Esmelinda Visser
"Tie a ribbon in your hair"
Printed tissue paper, oil pastels, charcoal, textile, acrylic paint on canvas (ready to hang)
50cm x 50cm x 5cm
R 6 000
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Esmelinda Visser
"Band of sisters selfie"
Charcoal, printed tissue paper, acrylic paint, oil pastels on deep edged boxed canvas
50cm x 80cm x 5cm
R 9 500
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Esmelinda Visser
"Angel"
Oil pastels, charcoal and printed tissue paper on deep edged canvas (Ready to hang)
40cm x 40cm x 5cm
R 4 800
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Esmelinda Visser
"Naledi"
Printed tissue paper, oil pastels, spray paint, liquid charcoal on stretched canvas (ready to hang)
50cm x 50cm x 3cm
R 5 600
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Esmelinda Visser
"Look me in the eye..."
Spray paint, printed tissue paper, oil pastels, acrylic paint on canvas (Ready to hang)
40cm x 40cm x 3cm
R 4 800
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Esmelinda Visser
"I am..."
Spray paint, printed tissue paper, charcoal, pencil, oil pastel on yupo paper
59cm x 42cm
Unframed
R 5 500
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All the artworks are for sale.
If you are interested in purchasing any of the works, please email us at artlovers1932@gmail.com
or click for purchase enquiry below any specific artwork