Comedienne

I'm re-entering the art world with a contribution of this photograph I took of my son's milk bottle titled 'Comedienne' which is based on the banana duct tape artwork by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan titled 'Comedian'.

It's an ode to motherhood and the first sleepless nights riddled with anxiety over not being able to pump enough breast milk to feed my child. It's a letter of infinite gratitude to the joy and playfullness my son Marcus brings into my life and at the same time, it's how I process the trauma and grief of divorce during pregnancy.

'Comedienne' is up for sale and priced at $170,400. Cattelan sold his banana for a whopping $120,000. Researchers found that work by female artists sells for 42% less than work by male artists and I'm VERY serious about plugging this eye-wateringly enormous gender pay gap. To me this work is priceless... but hey, if I have to put a number on it!

Forbes's Kim Elsesser wrote an article recently stating that: 'Of the $196.6 billion spent at art auctions between 2008 and 2019, work produced by women accounted for only $4 billion, or around 2% of the total sales.'

Motherhood is no joke, but it's sure being treated by art institutions worldwide like one. The unmortgageable freelance contractors who carry the art world on their shoulders with precarious hours, late payments for their work and projects that are sometimes too far apart to keep up with the expenses of everyday life.

#femaleartist #motherhood #art #milkbottle #breastfeeding #mom #genderequality #genderpaygap #ducttape #artworld