Artist Statement Maddie Stevens is a photographer whose work delves into themes of feminism and textile art. Deeply inspired by the history of feminist movements, her practice reflects a passion for connecting historical narratives with contemporary issues of gender equality. By integrating fabric, patterns, and textures into her works, Maddie creates powerful visual metaphors that evoke the resilience, creativity, and labour of women across generations.
Her work bridges the gap between traditional craftsmanship and modern feminist discourse, offering a tactile, thought-provoking exploration of identity, politics, and artistic expression. Rooted in research and personal experience, Maddie's work engages viewers in a reflective dialogue about empowerment, resistance, and the evolving stories of womanhood.
This photographic series explores the intricate tension between gender and autonomy, using textiles as both material and metaphor. Undergarments, traditionally feminine, intimate, and often unseen, become sites of transformation, where masculine imagery is stitched into their delicate surfaces.
Each stitch holds tension, unravelling societal expectations and redefning gendered expectations. Rooted in the quiet power of feminine craft, the artworks reflect the tensions between conformity and resistance, public and private, feminine and masculine. These dynamics intersect within the deeply personal spaces of women's lives, where autonomy is lived and contested, reclaimed and reimagined.