The current state of gender politics in the US and the world—from the erosion of reproductive rights and the commodification of female sexuality in digital spaces, to ongoing debates on the legitimacy of LBGQT rights—has never been a more fertile and important subject for artistic commentary. I’ve drawn inspiration from contemporaries such as Christina Quarles, Louise Bonnet, Kaitlin Cherry, and Sarah Slappey, to create works that provoke a dialogue on the representation of the female form in art. Leaning on my background as French-American, I like to challenge traditional notions of beauty and emotional composure, particularly as they have been perpetuated in Western European art history. My work is interested in the origins of gender constructs and their evolving form in contemporary media. By researching the history of visual politics, particularly in classical art, I aim to uncover how historical representations of gender and identity continue to shape our perceptions. My mission is to understand the meaning that we have historically assigned to women through their bodies and find a way to represent the impact of figurative representation. Headless female figures called “Boobelahs” populate my work, rendered through oil painting and ceramic sculpture. I depict these characters without heads to direct the viewer’s attention to body language rather than individual identity. This decision strips away the usual markers of personality or expression found in the face, compelling one to engage with the physicality and posture of the figures. By focusing on the body as a vessel of emotion, movement, and experience, I aim to challenge societal norms of how identity and autonomy are perceived. The use of headless characters allows for a more abstract representation, encouraging viewers to interpret bodily forms as symbols of collective experience rather than individual personas. By using body language as a conduit to our inner worlds, I explore gender issues across various facets of life—from intimate relationships to societal roles to political discourse. Through a blend of personal narrative, Surrealist imagery, and touches of humor, I navigate the contradictions of femininity while representing the associated pressures of current social behavior. I think about public spaces and the behaviors they engender, reflecting on the places where we feel the impact of heteronormative social conduct. My aim is to foster community and dialogue by catalyzing conversations about behavioral patterns, to help pave the way for a more nuanced understanding of the diverse spectrum of human identity.