Anya Austin recreates painted works by female artists using the exact dimensions of the original. However, these are painted upon loose linen, reflecting how the canvas has been “torn” from the frame, ripped from these women, ripped from history. The recreations are painted upon a base of pink acrylic, using the stereotypical colour to show that female influence is apparent in every detail of Austin’s artworks. Recreating these masterpieces allows Anya to form a growing connection to the original artist as she paints.
Austin empowers these hidden women as she works, sitting on a stool painting with the same colours, upon a canvas with the same dimensions and working from the same reference. This relationship with the works allows for Austin to write powerful pieces of poetry to be presented on papers alongside the artworks, encouraging her audience to take them home with them. Her reasoning is to educate people with these works, empowering women through history.