A solo exhibition by SJ Fuerst, \u201cMadonnas on the Rocks\u201d, which will be on display at il-Kamra ta\u2019 Fuq until 5th April.<\/p>\n
The exhibition presents SJ Fuerst\u2019s latest paintings, curated by Melanie Erixon, which confront the Earth\u2019s natural beauty scarred by human cruelty.<\/p>\n
SJ Fuerst studied painting at the Pratt Institute of Art and Design in New York, the Florence Academy of Art, and the London Atelier of Representational Art. Her work is celebrated for combining beauty and humor and can be found in private collections worldwide. In 2019, British GQ named Fuerst as one of the 15 best contemporary artists to invest in.<\/p>\n
\u201cMadonnas on the Rocks\u201d reflects the artist\u2019s response to the unfolding humanitarian crises across the globe. Fuerst paints women in her signature style directly onto slices of stone, a choice that symbolises the precarious position of women in societies regressing into extreme conservatism, violence, and unabashed misogyny. Despite its serious themes, the exhibition conveys hope, resilience, and beauty.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s interesting that being \u2018on the rocks\u2019 means going through a difficult time, whereas \u2018being a rock\u2019 means being a steadfast, safe place, impervious to surrounding difficulties,\u201d Fuerst explains. \u201cRocks represent both sides of struggle: the hardship itself and the grit needed to overcome it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The selection of stones also celebrates the Earth\u2019s diverse beauty, which mirrors the goodness and resilience of human nature. For every individual causing harm, there are those committed to creating and protecting. Though the Madonnas may be \u201con the rocks,\u201d they endure.<\/p>\n
In a powerful statement against gender-based violence and inequality, Fuerst has stipulated that these paintings can never be owned by men. This reversal of historical norms highlights women\u2019s vulnerability and strength while emphasising their right to safety and agency.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom a young age, I was taught to find another woman if I was ever lost or in trouble, as statistically, a woman is less likely to hurt you than a man. Since these paintings are about women\u2019s vulnerability as well as our strength, I like knowing they will forever be safe in the care of other women,\u201d says Fuerst.<\/p>\n
Additionally, 20% of all sales from the exhibition will be donated to a women\u2019s rights organisation supporting equality and justice initiatives.<\/p>\n
Tag a friend to go with them to the exhibition<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A solo exhibition by SJ Fuerst, \u201cMadonnas on the Rocks\u201d, which will be on display at il-Kamra ta\u2019…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":340960,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[442,498,499,500,501,156,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-340959","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-artsdesign","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340959","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=340959"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340959\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/340960"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=340959"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=340959"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=340959"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}