2018 is the year of female power, domination and the fight for equality in the media. I visited a pop up shop that embodies all of these features. ‘Girls Uninterrupted’ was a 6-day installation in Hackney near Shoreditch station. For years there has been a stigma around female nudity and women’s sexuality. 19 artists from all around the world, got together to put an end to this stigma. The pop up gallery features art work centred around, liberating nude photographs and illustrations with quotes of women empowerment. The art work is widely different ,featuring soft portraits by Rosie Foster switching to Venus Libido’s humorous illustrations of a woman pouring the words ‘No Fucks’ from a salt shaker into a fiery stove. Then ,moving onto Jasmine Sehra’s art work focusing on her Asian roots alongside the hip hop culture she grew up with. This stereotype smashing space see’s female artists and all different types of uncensored art getting the recognition they deserve.

Image above : Sophie Brampton ‘My Pussy My Choice’

For decades’ women have been shamed for their clothing choices. If we cover up we’re frigid, if we show flesh we’re sluts. This year women are saying to hell with your name calling, your assumptions and your stereotypes, and taking things into their own hands. Recently the media has been dominated by women calling out men in power, due to sexual assault allegations. At the head of the sexual assault and #MeToo fight is Rose McGowan. Recently in an interview with Broadly she stated ‘if I fucking want to wear nothing it’s my goddamn choice’. This attitude completely embodies the liberating aspects that are present in the ‘Girls Uninterrupted’ exhibition. Women have been body shamed on social media for decades, our bodies are sexualised but our voices not heard. Well times up world, women have had enough and they’re fighting back.

Behind the exhibition itself is a young artist, Florence Given. At only 19, Given has an impressive 20.4k Instagram following. She juggles her art work alongside her studies at London College of fashion. Despite the stresses of having a full undergraduate timetable, Given has shown determination in creating an art exhibition where women can celebrate and indulge in each other. Through her work she aims to address social issues and the ignorance of peoples derogatory and oppressive ignorance towards women. As a sexual assault victim, her work based around consent brought tears to my eyes, at its grace, integrity and power.

Images above : Florence Given artwork

Also among the female artists taking part in the gallery is Sophie Brampton, one of the artists working with Creative Debuts. Being confident in yourself and your body often comes with many backlashes. Some men will see you positing a bikini picture, as an invitation to cat-call you. They assume because you are body confident that sending nudes to them follows this. This issue is one of the inspirations for Brampton’s work, as she works to challenge millennial behaviour, sexism and showcase female sexuality. By using illustration to show the female body in all its glory, she aims to de-stigmatize the idea of ‘slut shaming’. Her bold and colourful prints are empowering to the female eye. All in an aim to reclaim this word thrown at too many women on social media, ‘slut’.

The opening night saw queues around the block of hundreds of men and women, eager to see the uncensored and empowering work. However, the exhibition didn’t slow down in the days that followed. People gathered from all over London to see an exhibition which showcased women as powerful, independent and strong, and it’s about time. I have spoken to Sophie Brampton, to get her view on the takeover of women within the art world. Sophie’s work is titled ‘Send nudes to yourself’ it is focusing on a series of four self-portraits, and focuses on Brampton’s own experience of ‘slut-shamed’. Brampton explained ‘The series is to de-stigmatise the shame put upon women for having sex and openly enjoying it’.

Image above ‘Send Nudes to yourself’ by Sophie Brampton

Asking her where the original inspiration to create such a powerful piece came from, Brampton explained ‘the piece came as a response to being slut shamed throughout my college years’. ‘A time when male peers are not having to explain themselves for ‘sleeping around’, when nude photos of girls are spread around as easily as a ‘sluts’ legs’. Sophie created the piece as a way to show women her own personal journey of feeling sexy and great in her own body, and that they can too. Brampton ended with stating ‘Back then I thought my value came from the people I was with or the male complimenting me, I realise it was never for you, it was for me’

The exhibition was only open for a short 6 days. However, ‘Girls Uninterrupted’ is hinted to be back with a follow up very soon. Creative debuts are in the meantime showcasing for women’s international day ‘Nasty Gals’. So, if you can’t get enough of seeing powerful women showcasing their work then fear not because Creative Debuts will be back on the 8^th of march at The Black and White building, on Rivington street. You can purchase some prints of the artist’s work featured in ‘Girls interrupted’ by heading to their Instagram’s and websites. I have linked below some of the artist’s pages, where their powerful pieces can be bought. I wasn’t able to mention all the artists work in this article, so make sure to head over the Creative Debuts page to watch the video of the exhibition ,and definitely check out all of the women featured.

http://www.florencegivenart.com/products | https://www.sophierosebrampton.co.uk/

https://www.jasminsehra.com|http://www.venuslibido.co.uk|https://www.rosiefoster.me

http://kaydavisartist.com/|https://www.panteha.com/

http://www.halfaroastchicken.com/about

Images above: Work from Eve De Hahn & Jasmine Sehra at ‘Girls Uninterupted’

In a world full of patriarchy and power-hungry men, exhibitions like’ Girls Uninterrupted’ and ‘Nasty Gals’ are a breath of fresh air. Women’s bodies are constantly plastered over newspapers and billboards, yet their importance as a woman is overlooked. For years’ women and girls everywhere have been abused, overlooked, objectified and ridiculed. Just like #TimesUp, ‘Girls Uninterrupted’ is part of the army of women that is saying no more to the sexist regime we live in. I look forward to this girl domination continuing throughout the art world and in 2018. See you all on the 8^th of march, can’t wait to witness more talented female artists take the stage, reclaiming their place in the art world and modern-day society.