Contemporary artist Anna Gibson consciously conjures immersive worlds with masterful brushstrokes. For her, art is a “way of speaking,” and as such, her mixed-media acrylic paintings offer subversive commentary on women-centred issues. Driven to explore themes of body manipulation, Anna challenges beauty standards and archetypes that breed insecurities. In this way, a mere canvas becomes a potential “mirror,” eliciting introspection and unveiling an internal struggle with ‘self’ — it, therefore, begs the question, “Are you ever satisfied?”
“My work is about women’s insecurities and how we compare and contrast ourselves to other women,” she shared, “It is about how our environment impacts how we view ourselves and our bodies… So, I like the idea of art as a mirror. I like the idea of you stepping into a whole new world — into a viewpoint I’m trying to create. It makes the viewer question and reflect on their own ‘selves.’”
With an aptitude for visual storytelling, Anna portrays the female form with a sense of raw, unfiltered vulnerability. As she explores ways in which women “mask and morph” their bodies to conform to beauty ideals, she intentionally emphasises various stages of comparison and physical transformation. We, therefore, see seemingly dissatisfied figures in her paintings, ranging from subjects with vacant or tearful expressions to those that have undergone major cosmetic procedures. In the ‘about me’ section of her website, the Barbadian fine artist explains that her use of angles showcase:
“…the mind and body’s vulnerable disposition, while emphasising these self-inflicted processes of metamorphosis, using harsh and soft combinations of drawing or painting, and exaggerated shapes and forms of ‘abnormality.’” To add depth to her work, Anna employs multiple mediums and incorporates techniques from both realism and expressionism to depict body image issues.
Anna’s “Reconstruction” Collection
Anna has observed, and even experienced, the hideous effects of societal beauty norms, which can shatter one’s self perception, triggering a desire to alter oneself. As a college student, she started reflecting on her time at the Alexandra Secondary School, when her feelings of self-consciousness first emerged.
“I became interested in exploring these societal themes because I was caught up with my own insecurities… I started looking back on secondary school and how we were obsessed with washing our faces after school, and the conversations that we as girls would have surrounding our bodies, or how men or even the boys in the school would speak about our bodies. I started focusing on that and the different archetypes that impacted me and wanted to break down why,” she explained.
Caribbean, and more specifically, Barbadian culture, with its value of a “big ‘boxcy’ (buttocks), big boobs and a slim waist,” has influenced Anna’s work; Curvy figures, who aspire to achieve that esteemed physique, comprise her masterpieces. Her paintings also feature brightly coloured wigs, reminiscent of Jamaican dancehall style.
Soul-numbing emotional pain exudes from the subjects, especially in their apparently weary, despondent eyes. Her art, therefore, seeks to scrutinise and undermine culturally and racially charged beauty ideals that foster self-deprecation. For instance, in many compositions, the subjects’ faces have stitched incisions across the cheeks, mouth and jaw, creating harsh crevices and pockets of bulging skin. This is observed in the piece “See My Masque 2022”, in which a heavily dolled-up woman bears seams of sutured skin and a twist of afro-textured hair peeks out from under a light green wig.
The artwork entitled “Consume”, “Consuming”, and “Consumed” are facial closeups depicting different intensifying phases of physical transformation. In “Consume 2021”, a black woman with blue eyes and string-pierced flesh peers downward, almost as if looking longingly at the painting’s observer for approval and acceptance. At another extreme, “Consumed 2021” features the subject with a blonde wig and pearl-encrusted bandages on her nose and under her chin (suggesting that she has had a nose job and submental liposuction).
The issue of internalised inadequacy is also brought into focus using strategically cropped and zoomed angles to meticulously frame the painting. For instance, “It Too Small” is a rear shot of a woman’s hands aggressively grabbing her butt cheeks, and “Not Enough” is a similar painting, but with a magnified view of grasped breasts.
In addition, the collection entails an experimental treatment of the canvas itself. The fabric used in “Rebirth I 2018″, for example, is severely shredded with stringy, uneven borders, which possibly depicts the fragmented identity and brokenness of the subject.
New Artistic Focus
Composing the “Reconstruction” artwork has provided cathartic release for Anna, who – having felt a sense of closure and accomplishment – is now expanding her artistic focus, trying new creative techniques, and even dabbling in sculptural work. She had spent some time exploring society’s vain preoccupation with feminine beauty before she started thinking, “Now what?”
“I’ve been looking at creating a world that taps into nostalgia and revisiting moments in life where that wasn’t all that we were thinking about. It’s not all about beauty and this and that. It’s about enjoying life and enjoying the moment. So, now you reach this point [where you contemplate new themes] like, ‘Where would we exist in a perfect world?’”
Consequently, Anna’s latest artwork includes “more landscapes and more objects and elements,” which significantly differs from her figure paintings. “Festering Fantasy 2022” illustrates this; It is a 45 x 60-inch painting of a young woman crouching down in a dark flowery field with floating bubbles. The full body of the skimpily clothed pink-haired figure is visible and embellished with pearls.
“My piece entitled ‘Festering Fantasy’ is my favourite. It’s my favourite because it sparked my journey in terms of adding in different elements of nostalgia. And it got me so excited to get back into my work,” she explained. She said this painting inspired her to produce mixed-media artwork that intentionally incorporates aspects of her life:
“Some of the elements of nostalgia are based on my own memories. I use objects like bows and bubbles, and I’m about to incorporate some teddy bears that I have from when I was younger too.”
Phenomenal Growth
Unaware of the highly accomplished artist she would eventually become, a young Anna playfully sketched while growing up in Holder’s Hill. She can still picture that “big head stick drawing with the sun in the corner,” which hung on her parents’ bedroom door. However, it was only until her secondary school years that she fell in love with art and enjoyed learning about its theories. She later pursued higher education, earning an Associate’s and Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts at the Barbados Community College.
Already secure in her artistic prowess, Anna embarked on a fulfilling career in art, with the wholehearted support of her parents. Her innate self-belief catapulted her to numerous rewarding opportunities, including showing her work at prestigious exhibitions like Punch Creative Arena, UN Women ‘1 in 3’ Art Exhibition, and Reimagined: Unspoken Bodies and Spaces.
Beyond intimate exhibitions, the visual artist has also helped to beautify public spaces; As part of the “collection of artistic interventions project” launched in April, Anna provided artwork for a rain shelter at the Barbados Trailway. This piece of an adventurous girl touching a puddle captures the spirit of childlike wonder, and is perhaps inspired by Anna’s youth, which was partly spent in the rural community of Mount Steadfast, where her grandmother cared for her, her brother and cousins during ‘summer’ holidays.
Teaming up with friends Alanis Forde and Akilah Watts, collectively known as ‘A3’, Anna has left an indelible mark on Barbadian landscapes through impactful murals. Their creative synergy has transformed walls at the Hilton Barbados Resort, the Grantley Adams International Airport, Barbados Community College, St Giles Primary, and more.
In February 2020, the group won the FutureSPACES competition, providing a distinct opportunity to paint a monumental mural on the General Post Office in Bridgetown. Having worked on the 60 x 30-foot wall, the team can boast of painting the largest mural in the Eastern Caribbean.
“It was crazy because that was the first time we had ever been on scaffolding. It’s pretty tall, and we’re scared of heights. They put us in harnesses for protection, we had helmets and everything, but honestly it was fun. We had so much fun, even if it was a little scary when you’re on the edge and you’re looking down and getting vertigo. It was definitely an unforgettable experience,” she said.
A Lasting Impact
Years of introspection and artistic exploration has positioned Anna on a path of conscious, continuous growth. Gracefully evolving into what she terms “this self-made beautiful thing,” Anna’s art frames and immortalises relatable moments, shaping a legacy of creatively challenging, thought-provoking paintings.
