Confessions (2024-ongoing)
Anna Stevens' mixed media art collection features confessional self-portraits that explore the artist's past problematic behaviors. A recurring theme throughout the collection is the imagery of a clowning fool placed within sacred spaces. This body of work invites viewers to engage with the complexities of human experience and the duality of humor and vulnerability. Through her art, Stevens examines the intricacies of personal reflection and societal expectations.
Fool
2025
Dr. Martens boots, paper, Modroc paint, card
These boots are cherished by the artist, who wore them nearly every day during a harrowing year marked by a breakup with their fiancé, a difficult living situation, major surgery, a cancer diagnosis, a suicide attempt, and a struggle with substance abuse, a period of coming to terms with sexual trauma - facing financial, mental, and physical hardship. Transformed into impractical clown shoes, the artwork explores the artist's view of self, their often destructive actions, and how the experiences of the year impacted the shoes as an extension of their body and identity.
The Church
2024
Cardboard, textiles, glass bottles, foam, acrylic paint, wire, paper, shelving unit
This sculptural assemblage artwork presents a thought-provoking bar scene, serving as a self-portrait of the artist. Utilizing clothing and bottles that partook in their journey through a challenging relationship with alcohol, the piece draws poignant comparisons between sacred spaces and the pub. It invites viewers to reflect on the parallels between religious rituals and the repetitive nature of substance abuse, challenging societal perceptions of both. Through this intricate assembly, the artist transforms personal struggle into a commentary on the human experience.
Last Fuckers
2025
Charcoal, acrylic and emulsion on canvas
In this dynamic painting, the artist draws inspiration from the iconic Last Supper scene, creating a whirlwind of chaos and melancholy. The canvas bursts with a series of self-portraits, each representing different, often conflicting versions of the artist that surfaced throughout the tumultuous year of 2024. Figures jostle for space around a central table, their expressions a cacophony of emotions—pain, hunger, mania, and turmoil, revealing the multifaceted nature of identity. Some remembered clearer than others explores the denial, shame, and trauma that hides various elements of our true selves.
Bed Rot
2025
This striking sculptural textile piece not only transforms a familiar pillowcase into art but also serves as a poignant reflection of the artist's struggles during periods of substance abuse and mental health challenges. The vivid imagery captures the heightened anxieties and self-deprecating thoughts that often intensified during these difficult times. The piece, which has been a close bedfellow to the artist's chaotic and ill brain, is testament to the complexities of the human psyche, inviting viewers to engage with the realities of mental health and the impact of addiction on one's thoughts and emotions.
NYE
2024-5
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Piaculum: A Short Pie Story
2025
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