I made this back in October before the student demonstrations and anti-cuts activity kicked off. I think it was even before the spending review. However I think it has a new relevance now as our right to protest is ever more threatened and our ability to change any decisions of the government in our erm "democracy" has become ever more apparently non existent. There are a multitude of reasons why I made this piece in the first place and many more that have occurred since but here I've just written a bit about the practical side.

After seeing Klara Liden's exhibition at the Serpentine I became interested in the idea of pieces of art that could work both in and out of a gallery context. I made quite a few placards like this and left them around random places.. obviously most of them just got penises drawn on them (see how necessary my vagina t-shirts are?!)but I spotted a couple of them at a demo shortly after - whey!

The placards are painted white on the side facing the wall. The viewer, however, has to physically engage and actively turn the placard round to see that it is painted white ready for them to project their message onto it as they please.

I'm curious about the idea of interaction and pieces that could be easily replicated by the viewer and then used for hopefully positive means!

Vagina t-shirts

I was pondering how remarkably quick I am at drawing penises and how, even though I'm female, I had to look up how to draw my own reproductive organs..

So I decided it was about time I brought a bit more vagina back into the world and screen printed 66 vagina t-shirts.

If you'd like one email me

knottygirl_gotmessy@hotmail.co.uk

The t-shirts are organic cotton, 100% machine washable, and the design is made up of two layers. I'm selling them for £10.. which is pretty good if you consider I hand screen printed all of them.

Yeah they are meant to be funny. But also thought-provoking.. I have no idea what you should think other than "oh thats a nice vagina on that person's top" and I like that because its not up to me to tell you. I personally count myself as a feminist but thats not to say I think you have to be aswell.

It is also worth noting that if you're a lady the ovaries will sit right over your boobs.

Sometimes I feel like I'm not real

Untitled from lauren aldridge on Vimeo.

This is the film I made for my final project on foundation. Its the only film I've made so far, but I think it's a useful way of trying to explain what sort of stuff I do.