The reference images that anchor Stent’s paintings were taken underwater – a continuation of Stent’s themes surrounding absent space, rich with the sentiments of considering agency in an environment that evokes peace, the embrace of a woman’s womb, surrender, danger and pressure.
Model’s Statement (Sophie-Claire Violette):
We worked on capturing these images of the muse – myself – together, a choice which recognizes that as a cultural anthropologist and intersectional feminism scholar, I am more informed than most to collaborate safely. Together we developed the themes we wanted to explore and challenged the objectification of my body. Through the diagrams and analysis applied to Tyler’s paintings, we offer a new way of seeing which seeks to encourage an active practice of looking alongside me and through my eyes, rather than at me.