Statement

Femininity and the rules surrounding it pull me close, sometimes to the point of discomfort. I am interested in how these unspoken but learned rules impact relationships, sexuality, and girlhood. These expectations often revolve around being nurturing, polite, and accommodating, as they are deemed valuable in a patriarchal society. I spend time imagining a world lacking masculinity as well as how our current ideas about gender can be reshaped. Through narrative-driven paintings, sculptures, and performances, I delve into the multifaceted aspects of femininity.  I incorporate materials like glitter and hair, as well as mediums traditionally associated with women's work such as sewing. These choices shape the hyper-feminine setting of my work, providing a platform for examining the complexities and contradictions embedded within societal expectations.

Approaching my practice through the lens of painting allows me to build an immersive world that’s more neon, more dynamic, and more intimate. Painting comes with rules that I can dismantle and then stitch up again to take on a new form. In my work, domestic spaces play an active role like the figures they house. Doorways and mirrors become portals. Walls protect while windows expose. Furniture is personified, and everyday objects like water bottles and party hats become recurring characters. Dual extremes cohabitate to explore the interactions between patriarchy and matriarchy, interior and exterior.  By challenging conventional norms and embracing the complexities of femininity, I provoke contemplation about a liberated perspective on gender and identity through the lens of painting.

Bio

Larkin Cook is an artist based in Chattanooga, TN working in painting, sculpture, and performance. In 2021, she earned a BFA in painting and drawing from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She recently attended a two month artist residency at Salem Art Works in Salem, NY. Her recent exhibitions include G.R.I.T.S at Bells Gallery in Dothan, AL and High Maintenance at Tchotchke Gallery in Brooklyn, NY.