Reflexion, which includes painting, installation, video and found items, is an examination of the captivating power of film, most particularly the shimmering images of film stars who so often reflect how we would like to look and be. This connection is emphasised throughout by the recurring motif of the mirror. Mirror-gazing as Tamar Jeffers McDonald notes is ‘an important part of feminine ritual, from childhood play to adult self-surveillance’. On-screen (and in paintings) the mirror, especially when being reflectively gazed into, can become a portal through which the viewer effectively enters the world of the film (or painting) and becomes someone else. There can be solace in this temporary transfiguration which may be prolonged by adopting elements of a favourite figure’s appearance and emphasising imagined shared traits.
The reflexive project of the self, as identified by sociologist Anthony Giddens, describes how individuals in modern society, freed from rigid traditional constraints, must constantly construct and maintain a sense of identity through self-monitoring, reflection, and choice. This is especially true of film stars and celebrities for whom the self becomes a ‘project’ that requires ongoing work to create a coherent narrative. This may also be applied to the fan who through the portal of a film (and its associated marketing materials) is able to dreamily co-mingle with their idol, achieving an ever-closer bond by assimilating the star’s makeup, hairstyles and clothes. |
Reflexion features a new body of work informed by a dress worn by Joan Crawford in the film Letty Lynton (1932) which went on to inspire numerous copies, including a gown in a 2017 Chanel couture collection, and a home-made dress in the Worthing Museum’s collection. Other new work looks at Warhol Superstar, Candy Darling and the Hollywood star she identified with, Kim Novak. In the centre of the exhibition a group of printed mirrors, all of which feature the image of actress Jennifer Jones, become a hall of mirrors which overlay the image of the star with that of the viewer. |
The exhibition also includes responsive works by Alex Michon and Tamar Jeffers McDonald which investigate shimmering fabric and mirrors respectively.
Reflexion has inspired the Hollywood Reframed season at Worthing Theatres and Museum which includes films programmed by Lomax at the Connaught Cinema (many with introductions) alongside talks and workshops, and a play inspired by the 1956 film Giant.
There is a limited edition, signed and numbered, Reflexion zine available here or from the Worthing Museum and Art Gallery shop. |
