Delving into Organic Matters with Courtney Ward
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Delving into Organic Matters with Courtney Ward

Tinder has been both a source of pain and pleasure around the world since its creation, and for Courtney Ward, it just so happened to be the thing to spark her next exhibition.

Hi Courtney, thanks for taking the time to chat with us, how are you and what are you up to at the moment? 

I’m doing well, just powering through multiple projects as per usual! Finding life a little hectic between the Jungle Room and prep for the exhibition. But all in all, doing what I love and finding time in it all for a vino!

Since we last spoke you’ve been keeping busy, recently doing a live art show for Geelong After Dark. What made you want to get involved and how was it? 

The Geelong After Dark event is a great initiative by Diversitat that brings together the public with local artists. I was involved in previous years through my role at CHYA, so figured it would be nice to contribute as an independent artist with the support of KUBU Studio. A bonus factor was that the event was in the lead up to the exhibition so allowed me to promote the show as well as KUBU’s space.

You’ve also been working on your new exhibition organicMATTERS, which explores what it means to be female in this day and age, was there a particular event that sparked the idea or a collection of experiences? 

There’s been a constant theme throughout my work that draws parallels between Mother Nature and human beings. More recently I wanted to explore what it meant to ‘act natural’. Breaking down the emotional and environmental elements that make us up as individuals and see if we could truly be accepted in society in our most raw form.

While exploring this concept, surprise surprise, I found myself single again haha! So with single-hood came Tinder. My original concept for the organicMATTERS exhibition actually stemmed from various Tinder conversations. Understanding Tinder was created for hook ups, I chose to indicate in my profile that I had a “Strict no F*CK boys policy” and would proceed to let my matches know that I was “using tinder for getting to know people as I couldn’t afford dating sites”.

At first the responses to this angered me, then I found them funny, then I realised there was a large population of misguided men that figured if a girl isn’t going to ‘put out’ it was okay to undermine her.

After being told that I was “desperate and obviously looking for a husband” I decided to remove my account and focus on creating a new collection. organicMATTERS, explores the connection we share with the earth and how sexual expression is ultimately a natural thing or natural way to act. Dame Nature has surrounded us with an unyielding organic beauty and I have tried to unearth numerous parallels between these natural elements and the female form. In doing so, I hope to encourage a sense of acceptance surrounding a woman’s choices and their individual expression.

wallflower matter

In exploring such a topic with your art, has it made you realise anything about your own sexuality/femininity?

I’ve always been very proud to be female and quite in tune with my sexuality and expression of that. I’ve never understood the concept that a woman with a healthy libido can be seen as something of a rarity in society, allowing for a clear distinction between a man who enjoys sex and a woman who enjoys sex. In my understanding both genders have the ability to enjoy sex, but if a female openly enjoys it she can be subjected to derogatory labels, unwelcome attention and even vilified.

The more I have delved into this realm of thinking; I have begun to see importance of communicating. Across both genders, we need to share sex as a topic that isn’t gender specific to create a more respectful understanding. Coming to this conclusion has definitely increased a confidence in my own femininity. It’s okay to want to feel sexy, my hot pants have all gotten shorter this year! We’re all entitled to express ourselves how we wish, but also we have to try and not be intimidated or swayed by narrow-mindedness.

What are you hoping for attendees to take away from witnessing your art? 

I just hope that some of my concepts resonate with people after the exhibition. Hopefully people are encouraged to communicate their own ideas and feelings about the topics explored. Also, there is still a fun and satirical undercurrent to all these works. I may be exploring topics quite important to me, but I still like my work to engage the audience with a bit of humour. So hopefully, people can have a laugh too!

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As for the opening night, can you give our readers a run down of what to expect? 

Doors at KUBU open at 6pm, where I’ll be showcasing close to 40 works; including film, illustration and floral installations. There will also be a live performance at 8pm, followed by local bands. The bands playing are || AYA AYA, FIN FRIGHT and GREEN BLANKET. There’s free entry and drinks at bar prices.

When & Where: Opening night with live performances, drinks at bar prices and free entry @ Kubu Studio, Geelong – May 27 from 6pm