These paintings reflect the impact of the present day U.S. styled child beauty pageants. The images portray a fictitious child beauty contestant based on photographs of myself as a child. These are transformed by thematic costuming, make-up and wigs more appropriate to an adult and set on an imaginary stage. The implication is that this staging occurs under the relentless gaze of the competing parents.

The work expresses a concern for these children who don’t have a voice, and are thrust prematurely into a combative adult world. The so-called beauty pageants are really only a showcase for adult vanity and self- glorification. In a theoretical gladiator’s arena, the children, and their diminishing dignity, are put out on display in inappropriate, questionable, and sometimes embarrassing “roles”.  Opportunistic adults are seizing on the child’s own natural and innocent play acting instincts to compete with each other using the trusting child as the pawn.

The paintings employ methods derived from 17th century Dutch still life painting which include a focused attention on “props” and “staged artefacts” alongside the contrasting luminosities of the starkly lit stage.

My intention is to direct attention to the central figure, in which the vulnerability of the exposed and uncomfortable subject, the spot-lit child contestant, is highlighted. The culpability and selfishness of the contestant’s parents is made apparent to the viewer.