Hey buddy, my eyes are up here

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.

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
"Silent strides against shadows of Patriarchy"
Oil paint, oil pastels, charcoal, printed tissue paper on layered tissue paper stretched over deep edge wooden frame
60cm x 60cm x 5cm
R 8 500
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Esmelinda Visser
"Mang with vermillion"
Printed tissue paper, oil pastels, charcoal, acrylic paint on canvas
30cm x 30cm x 2cm
R 2 200
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Esmelinda Visser
"a 'good' woman is a silent one..."
Oil pastel, oil paint, printed tissue paper on layered tissue paper stretched over deep edge wooden frame
60cm x 60cm x 5cm
R 8 500
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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
50cm x 50cm x 4cm
R 5 600
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Esmelinda Visser
"Sad Truth"
Charcoal, printed tissue paper, oil, pastels, acrylic paint on canvas
90cm x 50cm x 3cm
R 9 450
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Esmelinda Visser
"cure for patriarchy"
Charcoal, printed tissue paper, oil pastels, acrylic paint, spray paint, paper on boxed canvas
60cm x 80cm x 5cm
R 10 800
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Esmelinda Visser
"I am enough..."
Spray paint, printed tissue paper, charcoal, pencil, oil pastel on yupo paper
59cm x 42cm
Unframed
R 5 500
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Esmelinda Visser
"just be beautiful and SHUT UP!"
Oil pastel and printed tissue paper on layered tissue paper stretched over a deep edge wooden frame
60cm x 60cm x 5cm
R 8 000
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Esmelinda Visser
"Boardroom Angel"
Oil pastels, charcoal and printed tissue paper on layered tissue paper stretched over a deep edged wooden frame
50cm x 50cm x 5cm
R 5 700
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Esmelinda Visser
"Naledi"
Printed tissue paper, oil pastels, spray paint, liquid charcoal on stretched canvas
50cm x 0cm x 3cm
R 5 600
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Esmelinda Visser
"Burning Heart"
Charcoal, pencil, oil pastels, printed tissue paper, scorched tissue paper, acrylic paint on stretched canvas
90cm x 60cm x 2cm
R 12 500
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Esmelinda Visser
"safe space @ work"
Oil pastel, charcoal, pencil, acrylic paint, printed tissue paper on stretched canvas
90cm x 60cm x 2cm
R 12 500
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Esmelinda Visser
"Zip it"
Spray paint, printed tissue paper, charcoal, marker, oil pastels, acrylic paint on boxed canvas
100cm x 80cm x 4cm
R 18 000
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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