Standing Strong

 Watch: Kathrin Longhurst discussing her current exhibition

Exhibition Essay by Joey Hespe, 2020 To truly see Kathrin Longhurst’s work is to be moved by something invisible; a sense of wonder that seeps through her portraits and pervades deep down into the very core of the viewer. To scratch at the surface of her paintings and unravel the significance of her heroines’ stories is to understand her story. As someone who vehemently supports other women, Longhurst isn’t afraid of calling out unequal power structures; she doesn’t just investigate oppression and solidarity, it’s part of who she is. As a child of Cold War former East Germany, Longhurst lived through displacement and oppression, where Soviet regime and anti-Western propaganda informed her early ideals. Longhurst’s response to her past traumas and the inequality and injustice in our world is communicated through archetypal warriors who play heroic protagonists in her deeply personal visual novel.

Standing Strong reconsiders Longhurst’s previous themes on women needing to take a masculine stance to gain equality over patriarchal power structures, and instead suggests that what the world needs right now is the embodiment of the feminine. As allegories of the human condition and the current state of the planet, her heroines personify morality and call into question countless discrepancies that weep for us to stand strong together. If the role of the artist is to draw attention to gaps in their view of the world, then Longhurst shows us just how broad the Conflict paradigm really is. The recent destruction of sacred Indigenous land that held 46,000 years of artefacts in the Pilbarra to mine for iron ore, the Black Lives Matter, Me Too and Climate Change movements, countries politicising the outbreak and spread of COVID-19; the choosing of money and ego over precious human life. Longhurst’s heroines portray the suffering of the feminine in all of us and our propensity to turn away when things get too uncomfortable to face.  

Flowing tendrils of hair; the poetic expression of freedom and owned sexuality peek out from behind open helmet straps. Their military shirts unbuttoned as if having just returned from battle, her heroines communicate through subverted gazes and heavy stares that have witnessed too many injustices. Instead of yelling ‘We Want You!’, they whisper through clipped tones, ‘I’m exhausted, I can only do so much’. They ask each of us to consider how much more the Earth can take before precariously tumbling from its axis and toppling somewhere into the ether.

Although tragedy underlies every heroes story, Longhurst communicates that the road to healing can only come if we choose human defiance; love over greed, life over loss, solidarity over conflict. But we can only do this if we open our eyes and stand strong together. Perhaps said best in her own words, ‘we live in devastating times and never has the approach to solving a crisis brought our inherent values into focus as now. It is a reminder to take time out to reflect, be compassionate and respond with love and empathy. Because when all of this is over, we will be standing stronger than ever.’

Artist Statement: Standing Strong

For years my work has been centred around themes of female empowerment, the women’s movement and finding a voice for women’s stories. My new body of work “Standing Strong” moves slightly away from the imagery of dominant, confident, powerful women. Although the women in this series are still adorned by symbols of a male hero culture, such as military jackets, pilot outfits, helmets and goggles, their poses and gestures are lacking the aggression and hostility of previous works. Instead heroines are reserved, defensive and contemplative.

Introspectively, I have arrived at a turning point after realising we need to focus on valuing female qualities of caring, introspection and nurturing, instead of forcing women to be more ‘manly’. We still live in a male-centric world; hence we cannot drop our armour yet. But we can allow ourselves to embrace femininity and female qualities. A value shift like that would have far-reaching consequences for the well-being of all people, making the world a kinder more inclusive place, especially when it comes to the remuneration of employees in caring and nurturing professions (such as in health-care, schooling, service providing) and also in the way we approach policy-making and governing.

We live in devastating times and never has the approach to solving a crisis brought our inherent values into focus as now. Do we push on and save our economy at all cost, save assets and finances or do we focus on saving lives and caring for the vulnerable in our society? Do we let nature take its course, let the strongest survive both financially and physically or do we try to not leave anyone behind, do we all instead bond together to protect the weak?

In response, these paintings are layered over textured backgrounds. Screen prints of binary code and disassembled household items are used—in reference to, our need of digital connectedness today and homebound activities, that used to serve as a form of female oppression but now represent our inward focus on our home and safety.

My heroines have fought hard; they are having a rest from a battle, emotionally and physically drained from an enormous material and mental load. It’s a short reprieve, before heading back out into the fight. This body of work is borne out of an unprecedented and life-changing time in our history filled with sadness, anxiety and fear. It is a reminder to take time out to reflect, be compassionate and respond with love and empathy. Because when all of this is over, we will be standing stronger than ever.

Profile in Brief Longhurst served as vice president for Portrait Artists Australia for some years and was the founder and director of the innovative Project 504, an art space in Sydney. She has been a finalist in numerous awards including the prestigious Archibald Prize (2018), the Darling Prize at the National Portrait Gallery Canberra (2020), the Portia Geach Award (2019, 2018, 2017, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011), the Doug Moran Portrait Prize (2017), the Sulman Prize (2012), the Mosman Art Prize (2016), the Shirley Hannan National Portrait Prize (2008), the Korea Australia Arts Foundation Prize (2013, 2017) and the WA Black Swan Prize (2008, 2009). She was the winner of the Portia Geach People’s Choice Award in 2017. Her work is collected widely in Australia and internationally and is represented in the Bennett Collection of Women Realists, USA.