ARTIST STATEMENT
My work, “The Fruit Bearer”, is a memento to the overturning of Roe V Wade in the U.S. as of June 2022. This piece is meant to disturb the viewer, to show pain, restraint, and fear in the form of a woman battling with her own fruit. As a woman artist, I felt it was my job to bring this image to fruition in representation for the millions of women that rely on abortion healthcare, and how disconnected American politics are to it. As of now, only three years later, women are still at war with our politicians in order to regain their healthcare, and many have died since its implementation. This work captures the woman digging her nails into her fruit, yearning to tear out its seeds, experiencing both relief and sorrow. Her blacked out background is meant to feel as though there is a haunting spotlight on her – to capture her battle alone. Can one imagine how a woman handles both wanting to protect her fruit but also to tear its seeds out for her own safety?
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Olivia is a Philadelphia-based ink artist best known for her Ballpoint Pen Illustrations made in a surrealist style. Her art focuses on capturing the female figure in many surreal circumstances, some of her most notable work following a theme of mushrooms growing from different parts of the human body. Olivia’s other works focus on portraiture or heavily symbolic topics. She came to Philadelphia from Kansas City to pursue a Bachelor’s of Illustration at the Moore College of Art, as well as find ways to publicly show her work. After graduation, she plans to work towards making a name for Ink Art as well as open her own gallery. When able to open her own gallery, she will focus on supporting artists within minority groups such as women, the LGBTQ+ community, and people of color.
© Olivia Outlaw