ARTIST STATEMENT
This body of work engages with political resistance by honoring the embodied experiences of childbirth and the precarious conditions of reproductive care in America. Each piece weaves botanical illustration with highly detailed figurative drawing, centering birthing bodies and abortifacient plants—many of which have been used for centuries by those seeking to reclaim autonomy over their reproductive choices. In depicting moments of labor, touch, and transformation, I aim to highlight both the vulnerability and the resilience of those navigating systems that often fail to support them. The presence of these plants is both a nod to herbal medicine and to resistance; it’s a reminder of what has been passed down, hidden, protected, and criminalized. In this era of increasing legislative control over reproductive health, this work insists on visibility for an experience that is intimate- and increasingly politicized.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Joanna Hoge (they/she) is a queer artist, designer, and tattooer based in Denver, Colorado. They apply their interest in psychology and anatomy to create works that explore the dynamic between subjective identity and objectifiable body. Joanna collects narratives and translates them into visual allegories in which healing and trauma hold space. Hoge received a Bachelor of Arts from Saint Louis University in 2011. They received a Master of Fine Arts from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville in May 2016 under the tutelage of Brigham Dimick. Their work has been exhibited locally and nationally at galleries and venues including the Arvada Center (CO), Art Saint Louis (MO), Atlantic Gallery (NY), and The Drawing Room (CT).
© Joanna Hoge