OUGD502 - Studio Brief 01- Cool Hunting Interview: Polly Nor

Today I found an interview on Cool Hunting featuring the illustrator Polly Norton. 'Polly Nor' has become one of my favourite illustrators ever since I discovered her instagram about a year ago. Many of Polly's illustrations show the inner anxieties of the female characters minds with a devil character that takes over the female body. This is something I particularly like about Polly's work, the way she highlights social issues going on within young women, especially in regards to image. 

In the interview she talked about how she wanted to change the relationship people have with sex and sexuality:

'Kids are learning how to be sexual from an industry that is created almost entirely by men, for male pleasure alone. Through this very warped representation of sex and relationships, young girls are being taught that they are submissive, sexual objects for men to leer over, use and control, and led to believe that their value lies wholly in how sexy they are. But then, to make things even more confusing, our society also teaches females that being too sexual is shameful and vulgar. We should look available, but not too easy; we should be flirty, but not too forward; we should have sex, but not with too many people and so on. I'm interested in discussing and reacting to these conflicting pressures from a female perspective for a young female audience.'

I think the issues she addresses with her illustrations are very important in today's society. The empowerment of women and girls, particularly female creatives is something I feel very strongly about, particularly in an industry dominated by men. Through my work and research this year I want to build more of an understanding of women in design and try and promote them as much as possible.