I see exactly what you are seeing here. As profoundly twisted as this is, the level of workmanship infuses it with such loving care, that you cannot really escape feeling that, along with its intended message. I also find it interesting that the platform and heel are paved in rhinestones, which creates yet another layer of subtle meaning. The woman, (at least we can probably safely assume it was a woman) who wore these, was not only being hindered from motion but elevated to a nearly literal pedestal, like some B&D goddess.
The UNTOLD GAZE is a large format fine art book - 11x11 inches hardbound, 160 pages, full color - a collection of almost ninety of Stephen's paintings paired with short fiction and poetry inspired by his work. Included among the thirty-three authors are Lidia Yuknavitch, Tom Spanbauer, Monica Drake, Sam Roxas-Chua, and Whitney Otto. Click on the image above if you'd like more information on how to purchase the book.
Stephen O’Donnell is a mid-career fine artist, writer, and singer/performer. His paintings are widely collected, both in this country and abroad. Entirely self-taught, he is best known for his self-portraits, paintings which typically employ gender ambiguity and a lot of droll humor. His work most often exemplifies what is known as a portrait historié, in which a recognizable subject is portrayed in period costume or mythological guise, to dramatic or comic effect. He is also known for his small paintings of animals. His work – both literary and visual – has appeared in the literary magazines/journals Nailed, Menacing Hedge, Buckmxn Journal, and Gertrude. He is married to writer and graphic designer Gigi Little, with whom he sometimes performs. Their book, The Untold Gaze – a collection of Stephen’s paintings paired with short fiction by 33 authors – was published in October of 2018. They live in Portland, Oregon with their dog Nicholas.
I see exactly what you are seeing here. As profoundly twisted as this is, the level of workmanship infuses it with such loving care, that you cannot really escape feeling that, along with its intended message. I also find it interesting that the platform and heel are paved in rhinestones, which creates yet another layer of subtle meaning. The woman, (at least we can probably safely assume it was a woman) who wore these, was not only being hindered from motion but elevated to a nearly literal pedestal, like some B&D goddess.
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