Melissa Pritchard
Goddess to Witch Project
I aim at reimagining known narratives focusing on the roles of women within fairy tales and society as a whole. My work is heavily focused on re-writing known narratives to subvert female stereotypes. I’m very interested in repurposing stereotypes and using understood imagery. As I feel it illustrates cultural beliefs and knowledge being a subconscious part of our understanding. The feminine experience is fundamental to my work. I play with the qualities traditionally surrounding notions of the feminine and childhood and create worlds that plays with fact, fiction and myth. Blurring between these realities to mock this idea of construction and validity of how certain identities are presumed better.
The saint and the pilgrim,
Both the same, different and victim,
11 to 11,000 , plus another,
No longer blessed to discover.
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The fields are full of white rabbits,
Rabbits born with the purest of coats,
But the issues with white rabbits is their fur stains without reproach,
Their pelts are ruined in the muddy fields,
Their worth plumbites alongside with my yields,
So, I shoot them down with good merits,
No longer will their purest furs be ruined,
No longer will the fields be ample with its lot,
For I am the one who chooses when the rabbits shall be shot.
Goddess to Witch
Tale of Ceridwen
This work aims at exploring themes of hierarchy within identities, and how we absorb cultural teachings as children. I aim at reimagining a childhood narrative to question the messaging embedded within the tales. The performance is based on a traditional welsh tale and I will focus on the roles of women within fairy tales. My intent to repurpose tales to question hierarchies within identities. I want my work to continue the tradition of fairy tales teaching lessons, by adapting them to contemporary times. I aim at repurposing stereotypes and using understood imagery to create a new narrative.
11 to 11,000, plus another
In this exhibition, I’ve correlated the story of 11,000 virgins to the contemporary issue of sexual harassment. The story of 11,000 virgins is a medieval narrative about a princess and her servants’ pilgrimage to Rome. Where they were slaughtered, due to their refusal to copulate or marry the invading Huns. This story was celebrated throughout Europe and has roots in Britain. The women are praised for their purity and are even Saint hooded. I think it’s a narrative that correlates to today issues of the public sexual harassment. How it’s almost treated an accepted part of life. I’ve designed a hybrid of a confession box and a watchtower to present a reading of a wise women character, confessing to her experience and acceptance of this issue.
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