Liminal Gallery is delighted to present "Fantasy Girls," a solo exhibition by Katie Tomlinson in collaboration with Brooke Benington. The exhibition explores representations of femininity, blending mythological and art historical imagery with fantasy and science fiction.

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‘Fantasy Girls’ are subversive, powerful, and unruly art monsters. The works examine the ‘politics of refusal’ by depicting disobedient creatures that reclaim the body and subvert traditional femininity. The paintings juxtapose fantastical marine creatures, which are both beautiful and grotesque, alongside classical sirens and nymphs, symbols of both liberation and oppression. As a result, the works critique the oppressive and exploitative paradigm in which feminine beauty is controlled.

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Tomlinson’s paintings challenge passive voyeurism and explore how we interact with painting. Influenced by Brechtian theatre, Tomlinson’s paintings depict ‘the familiar as strange’, inviting viewers to critically engage with the narratives unfolding throughout her layered paintings. 

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In the same way that aquariums trap and display marine creatures for passive observation, historical paintings often confine women to the canvas, rendering them as passive objects for the viewer's gaze. This metaphor extends to societal voyeurism, where women's bodies are constantly scrutinised and consumed. By challenging this passive spectatorship and disrupting voyeuristic power dynamics, the paintings challenge our understanding of women in art and society.