Seventeen has announced the representation of Bex Massey. Massey will have a solo exhibition at Seventeen in autumn 2025.
Bex Massey presents the viewer with isolated objects depicted in a soft realism, rendered in oil under an even light. Images are presented in relation to each other, two per work, a painted object depicted beside its partner to form a visual echo. Subtle parallels in the structure of each image create connections between the paired objects. The image pairings within these paintings encourage allusion to female bodies, building an underlying sexual tension imbued by the artist into quotidian objects. An implied auditory element further extends this to the images, the scenes contain the potential of noise.
Massey’s previous works and exhibitions have engaged the codes and history of queer culture, along with markers of selfhood and North of England identity. Massey cites society’s persistent, habitual reminder that female + female = incorrect, that existence outside of the approval and verification of the male gaze is inappropriate. Her recent fertility journey with her partner has brought this into sharp focus, and this process is alluded to in the title of each piece, named as they are after the potential sperm donors they have considered. This additional layer encourages the viewer to see the sexual imagery through a reproductive lens.
Recent projects include a solo presentation at Liste Art Fair Basel in June 2024.
