About
After being awarded a solo exhibition prize by the CORN EXCHANGE NEWBURY & NEW GREENHAM ARTS, which was to show new works at the Corn Exchange, Hender wanted to incorporate works that had a factual connection to the local area. As the research developed the artist became overwhelmed by the events of the Greenham Commom Peaceful Demonstrations, and by what these women undertook on a regular basis, suffering abuse, vilification by the Right-Wing Press, the threat of rape, imprisonment, eviction, the removal of dignity and the de-humanization by the police. Some such as Rebecca Johnson have the scares to prove at what levels some would go in trying to remove them, Sarah-Jane freely admits a naivety around this moment in British society stating,' I partly feel ashamed to admit I was not aware of the true struggle these women encountered.
Is it an excuse to say I was too young to remember? Part of me feels compelled to remember or at least remind myself as I am confronted by the meaninglessness of the over portrayal of the celebrity, or when I look at such figure heads such as Katie Price. This dross I feel has ruined our sense of importance, and makes a mockery of what makes us human, but then us human's, âmyself included', have always been obsessed by worshiping the ânon-hero''.
With references from websites, such as the Guardian's Beeban Kidron's yourgreenham.co.uk, footage of the events surrounding that time period, whilst connecting links to the past Suffragette's, by the use of imagery and colour.
Questioning female vulnerability, male dominance and authoritarian rule, the relevance and positioning of the Greenham woman's role within a political view point, standing or laying in protest, how does this make us feel as a voyeur but also as regards to the current peaceful and non-peaceful riots of today?
Karen Blak
After completing a BA in Fine Art at The Surrey Institute in 2000, Sarah Jane Hender became part of a small group of artist involved in setting up a project space âManner Projects in Stoke Newington, London, 2002-2004. Launched her own fashion art label the Devils Dust, involving street art interventional works in London, Hoxton Sq, London Fields and Vyner St, 2005-2006. Awarded a residency in 2007 from the Florence Trust, Islington, London. Exhibited in group shows, âCall to Arms, Braubach5 gallery, Frankfurt, 2010, Studio 1.1, âMarmite painting Prize' 2008, Surface Gallery, Nottingham 2007, âThe Inerpretation of Freud's Dreams', Freud's Museum, London & The Granville Worthington's, Yorkshire North 2003, âKiopoo', The Nunnery, London, & Orbit House, 1999. In 2012 will be starting a Post Grad at Chelsea Art College.
