I came across Canadian artist Allyson Mitchell on Magic Pony, an online shop and gallery for contemporary art. Two of her ceramic piece's called called Humanimals caught my eye - Poodley Poo, a weird and slightly ugly human faced French poodle sat on a blue cushion and Puss Puss, a Persian-like cat with a human head (which I believe to be Allyson's), just the kind of thing I would have on my mantelpiece!
I also love her furry 'ladybeast' sculptures Lady Sasquatch, a feminised version of the Canadian mythical creature Sasquatch or Bigfoot. Mitchell created Lady Sasquatch with her hairy breasts, armpits as a parody to question some of the values that we hold as common sense - like women should have no body hair, small thin white bodies are the only ones that are sexy and that those bodies are constructed and reproduced solely for the pleasure of the heterosexual male gaze.
Mitchell is a maximalist artist working predominately in sculpture, installation and film. Since 1997, she has been melding feminism and pop culture to play with contemporary ideas about sexuality, autobiography, and the body, largely through the use of reclaimed textile and abandoned craft. She also performs extensively with Pretty Porky and Pissed Off, a fat performance troupe, as well as publishing both writing and music.
You can buy yourself your very own Poodley Poo or Puss Puss @ Magic Pony, for JUST $1500.
