Cathy Frank is an Australian, Coogee-based artist who works in digital and analogue media.
Using surrealist techniques, colour and contrast, she creates impossible worlds and dreamscapes that are wistful, melancholy, unique and playful. Her works dissect the essence of memory and pseudo memory – fragmented moments lost in time and dreams, or a place and feeling you have never know. Wb40 is honoured that she has created this extraordinary cover for the debut issue of Wb40 – Women Beyond Forty Magazine.
Artwork:
The Brave Are Free.
An ode, to all the sacrifices that all womxn have made, the pain, the suffering, but most of all their bravery.
Background story:
During the early hours of just this past Sunday, November 29th, I was dropped by my Uber driver barely two cars away from my apartment gate. I saw two men, drunk, barely 10 metres away. I heard them talking loudly.
“Grab her” I didn’t want them to know I heard. I quickly walked up the footpath to my units frantically buzzing to get upstairs and turned around – they were waiting for me at the front gate. The door opened I bounded upstairs and had a cigarette, shaking… I was thinking about if they were still there. Was it a joke? They’re just f*cking with me? Or were they going to hurt me, rape me, kill me?
The scenarios rushed through my mind – I shouldn’t have worn that sexy dress, I shouldn’t have been alone, I shouldn’t have been out so late.
I shouldn’t have, I shouldn’t have – They SHOULDN’T HAVE.
I was in front of my house. Is nowhere safe?
This one really rattled me, I wish I could say this hasn’t happened before, I am scared. but I can’t afford to be.
We can’t afford to be.
Making this artwork was incredibly difficult. I would often become so overwhelmed with emotion, holding back tears as I paired images together, having to put my laptop away, regain composure.
I don’t feel brave today, I’m still scared. I’m worried men will continue to scare, harass and terrorise. I’m worried that I can’t be alone at night but I need to be brave now.
We need to be brave.
This artwork means and represents so much, and when I look at it it makes me angry, it makes me proud and it makes me brave.