Cassidy Petrie: Overcome

Artist statement

In the aftermath of the overturning of Roe v. Wade in America, some states made it illegal for women to access healthcare regarding abortion, reducing their bodily autonomy. Women who seek an abortion can even be punished for this choice. Along with this, internationally, Iran’s dress code law resulted in violence and ultimately the murder of Mahsa Amini. In light of these cases, even if we believe that society is going forward it shows there is still violence and control over women by the government. This war on women has only been getting more and more violent and controlling in coming years; Roe v Wade is only a start.

For my project I wanted to design a series of simple, minimalist line art pieces that hold their weight in the meaning, not the visual appeal of the art. I chose to take the classic political cartoon and give it a more feminine artistic style. I’m choosing to do small pieces that purposely are structured to begin a conversation, to upset people, specifically those who are voting for the continued ban on abortions and those who refuse to acknowledge the Iranian crisis and so many other countries. My designs are made to make people feel uncomfortable and even a little mad or disgusted, to feel like every woman across the world. Women live constantly in a state of being ignored and overlooked by society, so these pieces are designed to force the viewer to acknowledge how women today feel. The main colors are red black, red to signify the feeling of our bodies being ripped apart and put on display for the sake of a law or a child.