When Chrissy Nickerson presented her portrait, Women’s Rights Matter, depicting a woman’s face at the 10th Creative Combat, audience members quickly defaced the painting.
However, the audience didn’t sabotage Nickerson’s work for reasons like hate or anger. Nickerson wanted the audience to damage her painting and even gave them the tools.
Bit by bit, scrape by scrape, the woman in the portrait became disfigured and damaged. By the time the audience had finished, she was a ghost of her former self. “The overall image is rough, as it should be. Her gaze reaches back at the viewer behind the statement ‘Women’s Rights Matter,’ so what? What’s next? Does anyone care? I’m worried. I chose to paint this piece to share in this dialogue,” Nickerson told the Rocky Mountain Outlook.
Nickerson intended for her artwork to reflect the current political landscape, where the audience’s participation represented the impact every action or inaction, particularly voting, can have.
She advocates for women’s rights around the world and recognizes her privilege.
“I, as an artist living in Canmore, am so privileged, but it breaks my heart to see what is going on in the world. It is terrifying,” expressed Nickerson.
In almost 50 countries, there is no specific law against domestic violence. In 45 countries, there is no legislation to address sexual harassment. In 112 countries, marital rape isn’t a crime.
Even in countries like Canada, where there are laws, sexual assault is prevalent. In Alberta, almost 2 million people have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime, or about one in every two people.
Women are burdened with countless challenges that often get swept under the rug. Instead of minimizing these issues, Nickerson puts them on display through her artwork.
Impactful artwork and audience involvement are what she does best. At a past Creative Combat, Nickerson had a live model bare her breasts and do a body print on one of her canvases.
Nickerson’s Women’s Rights Matter was nominated as the best artwork at this year’s Creative Combat, marking her second win at the event since 2015.
Race Against the Clock
Winning the best artwork award at Creative Combat twice is no easy feat. Creative Combat is a fundraising event where 12 artists compete to create a painting in 20 minutes in front of an audience.
Nickerson is something of a pro, having competed in every Creative Combat so far. Every second counts, meaning having an idea beforehand is an advantage.
In Nickeron’s case, she didn’t know what she wanted to paint until the day of the competition, but as soon as her brush hit the canvas, she took off.
“Chrissy always does something different and this year, of course, was a rocket of a self-portrait in celebration of the power of women, which was just really a great statement and of course, a great piece of art,” said Heather Walter, head of Creative Combat’s volunteer committee.
Nickerson’s awards aren’t limited to Creative Combat. She also won Canmore’s Mayor’s Spotlight on the Arts award.
Creative Combat raised more than $100,000 this year. Nickerson’s piece sold for $2,500 at an auction on the evening of the event.
Women’s rights are one of many issues Nickerson addresses through her art. Some of her pieces advocate for sustainability, including her painting Up For Development, which is on display at Elevation Gallery.
The painting captures Canmore’s charm and undeveloped land ripe for development, but not just any development.
“Bring on the development, but let’s plan for the birds, the bees, and for the “us” that continue to respectfully occupy this space,” writes Nickerson on her website.
Nickerson’s artwork reminds us that we all have a role to play in shaping our future, especially those of us in Canada who have the privilege of voting.
Young people should be leading the future, yet people between the ages of 18 and 24 are almost 30 percent less likely to vote than people between the ages of 65 and 74.
Exercise your right to vote, even if you hate politics! Otherwise, boomers who don’t believe in issues like women’s rights will continue to build the future to their liking. Take that Grandpa!
