Personal as Political

Our text describes the personal as political as a movement closely link with feminist ideation, which describes how personal experiences such as gender, race, and sexual orientation have entered into the political and artistic conversation.

I see a distinct correlation between this concept and the ideas behind the witches I am creating. There are certainly feminist issues present, but the witch is also an enigmatic, confusing concept. Culturally and historically speaking, witches, as a group, are poorly understood and underrepresented, especially in western culture. Bringing their struggles to light illuminates how political and cultural attitudes have affected the circumstances independently minded women, minority spiritualists, and indigenous cultures around the world throughout history.

As a female artist, it's difficult to separate the female experience entirely from my work. What other experience do I have? Perhaps that question itself would be an interesting exploration. Artist Nikki Lee, for example, immerses herself in various subcultures, embodies that experience, and then creates Sherman-like self portraits of her new identity and community. (http://www.tonkonow.com/lee.html)