The Power Dynamics in Gillian Wearing’s Art

Gillian Wearing, a contemporary artist hailing from Britain, delves into power dynamics and voyeurism in everyday life through her conceptual photographs and videos. Rather than focusing on aesthetics, Wearing captures the self-awareness of her subjects using prosthetic masks, voice dubbing, and altered photographs in portraits of individuals and groups. Her thought-provoking works are in conversation with fellow artist Cindy Sherman, as well as early 20th century Surrealist works by Claude Cahun. Notable series in Wearing’s portfolio include “Signs that Say What You Want Them To Say” and “Not Signs that Say What Someone Else Wants You To Say” (1992-1993). In this project, Wearing approached strangers and asked them to write down their thoughts, then photographed them holding the sign. Speaking about the series, she states, “As an artist, it’s always crucial to find a distinct language, which is why the Signs intrigued me. They felt fresh. Little did I know they would have such a large impact, from advertising to people designing signs for their Facebook pages.” Born in 1963 in Birmingham, United Kingdom, she relocated to London in 1983 to study at Chelsea School of Art and later Goldsmiths College, where she became part of the Young British Artists movement alongside Damien Hirst. In 1997, Wearing received the prestigious Turner Prize for her work “60 Minutes Silence” (1996). She currently resides and works in London, UK. The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate Gallery in London, the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. are among the institutions that house Wearing’s works.

www.ftn-books.com has several Gillian Wearing publications available.