'No one is more arrogant toward women, more aggressive or scornful, than the man who is anxious about his virility.'

– Simone de Beauvoir

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It usually starts with an idea. In this case, The Nine Ladies from Outta Time is a reflection on the notion of matriarchal society, as it developed in China at the beginning of human history. In the Chinese context, there is no myth of the “guilty woman”, like Pandora in Greek translation or Eve in monotheistic filiations. On the contrary, the very first family names in China all include the sign for woman 女 (“nü” in Mandarin) – a sign that the clans of the time were led by women. It is to these surnames, whose spelling is inspired by their archaic form, that the “Nine Ladies” series pays tribute. Of course, in China just like in the West, history was eventually written by men, who tried to erase these origins and reduce women to the status of advertising arguments. But beware: The Nine Ladies from Outta Time are watching. Tremble, patriarchs!

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Spray paint, ink and acrylic on canva

20 x 20 cm (7.87 x 7.87 i)