Iconoclast III- Defiant [Gold on Gold]

Description

ICONOCLAST III {Gold/various} is the third adaptation in the ICONOCLASTS series of body of print-
works which began in 2016 during Wilde’s co-residency at the Women’s Art Library, Goldsmiths
entitled Empowered Printworks.

Wilde created a set of prints depicting lipsticks where we/us wrote the words ‘Weapon Of
Choice in lipstick under the singular iconic image.

The work was a direct response to the Taliban’s ban on lipstick, amongst other items deemed against
“The Sharia” in 1996 – also with memories of growing up in Iran in the 80s, where women were also
victimized/arrested if they were seen wearing the War Paint, we/us were questioning why this is an
unassuming piece of make-up used as a “Weapon” by men to punish & dehumanize.

Further back in history and delving deeper into the past, it transpires that the common ‘Red Lipstick’
holds much significance in symbolizing POWER & STRENGTH, especially when it comes into the
political sphere.

Service women during World War 2 given Red lipstick to boost morale as they continued to battle
away. In Auschwitz, whilst the detainees were being liberated from the concentration camp, it is
commonly reported that the Red Cross gave the freed women Red lipstick, perhaps as a symbol of
Freedom, Empowerment & the first token to their journey into some normality of life on the
outside.

This very limited serigraph edition is printed on matte Gold paper/card for the first time in 2022, both
lipsticks, iconic in their red colors, the prints come in two variations: custom mixed inks in classic
Metallic Gold [Defiant] and Metallic Black [Maleficent] make up the main body of the lipstick barrel
and both standing strong and proud on their inscribed marble plinths.

Please email info@aidaprints.com if you have any further queries regarding this piece of
work.
Thank you.