Petrina Hicks, Dragonflies, 2021. Archival pigment print, edition of 8 + 2AP, 100 x 123cm. Courtesy: the artist and THIS IS NO FANTASY, Melbourne.

Fly through the candle’s mouth like a singeless moth, Petrina Hicks‘ new series, will be exhibited at THIS IS NO FANTASY in October and at the prestigious Paris Photo’s art fair this November.

One of Australia’s leading contemporary artists, this exhibition follows Hicks’ major mid-career survey at the National Gallery of Victoria and her first international survey at the Australian Embassy, Paris.

In this series, Hicks continues her exploration of the female position in contemporary society and looks at the evolution of the witch archetype throughout history. ‘Witch’ has been historically used as a tool to persecute women of power, notably Joan of Arc and more recently Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Tony Abbott‘s ‘Ditch the Witch’ proclamation of Julia Gillard.

Today the witch archetype is synonymous with feminism and seen as a symbol of empowerment.

Throughout the years the narrative has been reclaimed by the suffragettes, popular culture and more recently through its association with the #metoo movement.

The title is taken from Sylvia Plath’s 1959 poem Witch Burning; for Plath being ‘burnt at the stake’ is considered a metaphor for self-transformation.

As women in power are still persecuted more than men, we look back throughout history and asks how much has changed?

Please note: the gallery is currently closed due to Covid-19 restrictions, click here to view the exhibition online.

Follow this artist