by Georgia Bennett

POLLY Nor

By Georgia Bennett

The age of social media has brought upon us a brilliant way to make friends accessibly and easily across the world, promote important messages as well as other positive things. But, it has also brought this suffocating wave of unrealistic societal expectations and a desperation for validation from strangers. Counteracting and rebelling against this culture of judgment is Illustration Artist Polly Nor. Nor creates unapologetic and empowering pieces of art, depicting the lives of everyday women behind closed doors, revealing their true habits and inner thoughts – however intimate or deviant they might be perceived. Polly Nor’s work, made by digitally editing pen drawings, shows the demon within every woman. Nor’s depiction of the demons are humorous and human. They are a vivid, rich, red colour, which normally would have connotations of blood, sin and fire. Nor plays on that idea to add an element of gore but in a simple cartoon effect. The colour red is also used as a metaphor across literature, representing violence, dreams, passion and sexuality; the full and deep-toned red, prominent throughout her work, shows power and fierceness. Nor chooses not to use white, as it is often seen as virginal and angelic in traditional art. The demons are content and smug, but most importantly, a reflection of the women’s most private and deprived thoughts. In my chosen nine piece series, Nor’s inspiration for the devils is to “face your demons.’’ A female character attempts to kill a devil, quickly followed by the realisation that it is impossible, as it lives within her, thus showing the comfort and relief felt when released from the personal imprisonment caused by trying to become someone else; instead, the character experiences self-acceptance and relaxes into the arms of the devil. The devil appears sunken and deflated, possibly showing our female’s internal battles and need to conceal what is beneath. Nonetheless, although the demon is being cut open by the woman, it still appears unbothered, possibly because it knows that it cannot be killed, as it is the manifestation of the woman’s anxieties and desires. These digital illustrations, in contrast to Nor’s typically more colourful work, include just three prominent colours: red, pink and beige. The nakedness of these colours depict vulnerability and ensure that the viewer’s focus is on the characters and the story being created. The relaxed and muted tones also help to add serenity to the quite chaotic scene. The small details in this series really help to add character. For instance, the pristine, painted nails, emphasise her femininity and incessant need for perfection or to show that women can be both stereotypically feminine as well as being an advocate for feminism. There being nine parts to this series, could also have its own significance. Biblically, this number can convey finality and when shown in a cycle, suggests completion of an era – here, the end of an era of disillusion and self-loathing. This series could also be linked to the nine circles of hell in Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’, showing the journey towards Satan. But instead of displaying a loss of humanity, Nor is embracing true humanity and showing the journey towards the devil as a positive one. In the first image, the appearance of the woman could have connotations of classical nudes such as Sandro Botticelli’s ‘The Birth of Venus’ (with the long, blonde hair, bare pale skin), but instead shown from a more dynamic angle, displaying freckles, dimples and cellulite as well as her having a more dominant presence. The woman is far less sexualised and promiscuous, showing that women do not need to be widely desired to feel validated. In image three, we see that the woman has cut the devil in the chest; this could be compared to Jesus’ stigmata from the crucifixion, which is visible in paintings such as ‘The Man of Sorrows’, by Hans Memling. Both show sacrifice for a better future. Also, instead of a lance or a more violent weapon, the woman uses a kitchen knife, which could represent a domestic stereotype or her unwillingness to be aggressive. Next we see the woman sewing up the wound in a panic, showing conflict between killing and saving, an idea comparable to Jesus’ death. This also, possibly, presents women as almighty beings, who are powerful and healing. In image seven we see the woman clinging to the devil, whose fingers appear elongated, which creates a stealthy and menacing likeness, contrasting with the woman’s well-kept and somewhat dainty hands. Then finally, in image nine, we see the woman’s mask, sat next to the devil’s; the mask has a forced smile, wide eyes, clear skin and perfect hair – showing she is literally and metaphorically embracing her inner demon. Many of us are guilty of constantly comparing our own lives to the filtered ones of others. But obsessing and worshipping lifestyles of celebrities will never satisfy our longing for meaning. Polly Nor advocates self-acceptance, focusing on how her characters feel rather than how attractive they are. Nor expresses that our repressed emotions are not something to ignore. The devil represents ‘an emblem of resistance against culture conditioning or at the very least the acknowledgment of it.’ The devils exhibit feelings of

frustration, desire, sadness and anger, which are emotions we tend to shy away from as a society, due to denial or embarrassment. Nor shows these emotions live within us, and her characters find comfort in the acceptance of these emotions, refusing to give these ‘devils’ control over us. There is a great amount of comfort to be found in Nor’s work, due to her refreshingly real perception of women. Nor’s captivating use of colour and shape has engrossed over a million people, who are able to relate to her work. The impact her art has had relates extremely well to the quotation by Cesar Cruz: ‘ Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.’ This is exactly what Nor’s diverse and satirical style of illustration art is doing. Nor’s artwork intrigues and invites specifically young, curious women who want to see themselves represented in a familiar and humorous light. In an era where it feels we are slowly losing the ability to have real life conversations due to excessive use of online communication, Nor shows visual stories and produces thought provoking, conversational art, which we, as a society, so desperately need. Artists like Polly Nor are so important, as they create art that attracts viewers, who are hungry to change their own perception on things and reverse the way we have been conditioned to feel about our bodies, self-worth, mental health and sexuality. Nor expresses that we should value our own state of mind and comfort above how attractive people think we are, as we are often taught that the biggest compliment we can receive is that we are pretty. We can gain comfort, stability and acceptance by confronting our inner selves. So, I ask you, will you face your demons?