BRI CIREL
Bri Cirel Artist Talk
In December 2024, artist Bri Cirel delivered an insightful and thought-provoking guest lecture at Chapman University, CA, on gender and body politics in art. The recorded lecture explores the evolving narratives of representation, the female gaze, and the role of art in challenging societal norms.
Click the links below to access full articles or listen to complete interviews.
NSFW Propaganda Paintings Probe the Politics of the Female Nude
“The realization that women and their images have been narrated by men for all of history lead me to wonder, who are we (women) really? What do we want really?” Cirel says. “I’ve never connected with femininity, but I think that’s because it’s been unnaturally crafted to suit the needs and desires of men.”
"I started off in film and video actually. My background in film has inspired my painting aesthetic by compelling me to deliver story through combinations of elements that build and compete to create context and direct commentary."
Issue #65
Issue #31
“I make paintings of women that employ the standard male gaze to attract attention, but then fracture the composition and make commentary with text and negative space to question the conditioned attitudes we hold towards female personhood and sexuality.”
"The fine line between an art nude and a naked person has always fascinated me and I often explore the overlap in my paintings".
"As I honed my understanding of painting, the desire to distinguish a unique style and develop meaningful narrative led me to lean on my background in film editing. Just as editing two scenes together excited me, I found juxtaposing text with layered images was creating a third meaning, much like the film edits that I love."
"Why, at a time when women’s voices are being raised more powerfully than ever, are they policed so differently from men’s in the public space? And whose values do media censors supposedly represent, anyway? "
THE NEW NUDE
Curated by Walt Morton
Issue #86
Andre Veloux interviews Bri Cirel about her work and her show "Deluxe" at Krause Gallery in Manhattan.
Episode #1
"Images of women in art and advertising are often not about the woman whose image is depicted. The image is of her, but not about her. My work often explores this disconnect and its relationship to society’s view of women. I’d like the viewers to be more conscious of how women’s bodies are being categorized and commodified."
