Porcelain

Porcelain is the first instalment in a project of two halves. Stemming from experimental self-portraits of the artist during her Covid isolation, these works make up Acts I and II of the protagonist's origin story. Using photography and video to capture her performances, Charsley uses the techniques of parody and motifs to create an alter ego that reflects common feminine archetypes found in film, literature and theatre, as a satiric mockery of the patriarchy and misogyny. The artist purposefully employs the male gaze as a way to place her audience in a voyeuristic perspective, allowing her to create domestic scenarios from the woman's perspective. The mask quickly became a powerful tool in which Charsley could explore the idea of an alter ego, anonymity and power, and thus inspired the protagonist's name for its seemingly fragile yet confrontational nature.