Pat Brassington: A Visual Analysis

In Brassington’s piece Rising damp (1995) she uses multiple black and white pictures of stained and dirtied women’s underwear to create a stylish grid with around thirty individual pictures. The sheer size of the exhibit makes the viewer step back and attempt to take all of it in because it encompasses up almost an entire wall of the museum. This makes the viewer think that not only the pictures are a statement but also the way it is presented hollers notice me. It would almost be impossible for someone casually strolling through to not notice this display

There tends to be a sense of horror after viewing her entire collection. The uneasy feeling is only compounded when all of Brassington’s techniques are combined. The use of black and white, repetition, serialization, and juxtaposition all combined give the audience a completely enervating sensation. The twisted Freudian sense of sex can be seen in most of her pieces, which tends to overwhelm the art. Her strong sense of feminism combined with unique talent really draws out many emotions that are uneasy to deal with. When leaving Brassington’s collection you almost have the sense to look over your shoulder to make sure that one on her pieces isn’t following you. It truly is deranged and you must remind yourself that these are only pictures, which will only be seen again in some of your worst nightmares.

of feminism. If Brassington had made each picture smaller or had not included so many unique pieces into this display I believe that the meaning of it would differ. The piece wouldn’t be so overbearing and in your face; it might not give you the viewer such an eerie sensation. Brassington’s disuse of color has a tremendous effect upon the observer. The black and white pictures combined with the size provides an uneasy mood. The colorless underwear shown in the exhibit are cold and uninviting; one would most certainly not want to wear any of the undergarments presented in this piece. The disuse of color plays are large role in the overpower testimonial that Brassington sets forth. Helen McDonald stated “In Rising damp, 1995, another form of dank feminin

Some topics in this essay:
Moving Rising, Examining Brassington’s, Helen McDonald, , Pat Brassington’s, rising damp, black white, rising damp 1995, black white pictures, laundry basket, damp 1995, makes viewer, underwear shown, freudian sense, disuse color, white pictures,