Global Citizens (Emote Edition)

Inspiration: Exploring the Female Gaze Through Emotion

When I started Global Citizens (Emote Edition), I wanted to explore something that goes beyond culture. Something that speaks to what we all share as humans. The piece focuses on the female gaze, an element I believe is often overlooked. Through charcoal and textiles, I set out to capture the emotional spectrum that women move through in a single day.

Each of the ten women featured comes from a different part of the world: Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Lebanon, New Zealand, USA, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. Despite their different backgrounds, I wanted their expressions to carry emotions that are instantly recognisable. Joy. Pain. Strength. Vulnerability.

The Process: Weaving Together Stories and Emotions

What materials did you use and why?

I chose charcoal and textiles as my primary materials. Charcoal has this ability to capture raw emotion through stark contrast and shadow. It was perfect for drawing out the depth and nuance of each woman's gaze. The textiles represent the opposite: warmth, softness, and the love we all reach for when we need comfort. There's something inherently grounding about fabric, the way it wraps around you both physically and emotionally.

I wanted to place these soft textiles against the harsher lines of the charcoal, showing how we all navigate life's emotional range. Sometimes we need softness. Sometimes we need resilience.

How did you approach capturing the female gaze?

Each woman's gaze is different, yet familiar. I spent time studying the subtle shifts in expression, how a small change in the eyes or tension across the face can communicate an entire world of feeling. It was important to me that these gazes felt authentic and unfiltered.

As I drew each woman, I kept coming back to how emotions cross borders. A smile in Zimbabwe feels the same as a smile in Australia. A look of exhaustion is recognised from Lebanon to Italy. I wanted to show this shared experience of being human, with the female gaze as the vehicle.

Challenges: Balancing Negative Space and Emotional Weight

What role does negative space play in the piece?

Negative space was critical. It represents the room we all have to grow, no matter where we are on life's path. By leaving certain areas of the canvas untouched, I invite the viewer to step into that space and reflect on their own emotional journey.

At the same time, I wanted to make sure the emotional weight of the piece didn't become overwhelming. The balance between the richly textured textiles and the open spaces gives the viewer breathing room. Enough to sit with each woman's gaze without feeling suffocated by emotion.

Creative Companions: Music in the Studio

What music did you listen to while creating this piece?

The music shifted depending on the emotion I was channelling. For the more tender moments, I leaned into soft, acoustic sounds. Something calming like Blackmill and Fortet. For the more intense or confrontational gazes, I was drawn to heavier, more percussive music like Florence and the Machine. It helped me dig into the rawness of those emotions and let each woman's story come to the surface.

What's Next

Once Global Citizens (Emote Edition) is installed, I hope it sparks conversation about how much we share as humans, no matter where we come from. This piece is one part of a larger exploration for me. An ongoing journey into how we experience and express emotion.

Next, I'm considering expanding this into a series and adding more faces.

A Shared Gaze, A Shared Experience

Global Citizens (Emote Edition) is my way of capturing the shared experience of women across cultures and continents. Through charcoal and textiles, I want to create a dialogue about how we all navigate the emotional landscape of life. It's a piece I'm incredibly proud of, and I look forward to seeing how audiences connect with it.