Orkideh Torabi

Region: Midwest

City / State: Chicago, IL

I make paintings that lampoon men as absurd clownlike figures, drawing attention to the personal, political, and social issues facing women in patriarchal societies. My process is to paint on a silkscreen with fabric dye, then transfer the image onto canvas using a squeegee, like a monoprint, relying on chance and imperfections. By portraying the figures with cartoonish whimsy, I try to strip the male oppressors of their power, undermining the culture of machismo that pervades many societies. In demasculinizing them, and through repetition and displacement, I allow myself, as a female, to possess their power.