
POLITICAL GAGS: A shared motif in new work Brexit Bound and earlier piece Land of the Free. TOP BANNER: Michelle with three more of her latex creations (all art: Michelle Mildenhall)
Consensual Kink: a solo exhibition for Michelle Mildenhall’s latex art.
Consensual Kink is the title of a new exhibition by latex-loving British artist Michelle Mildenhall, running for two weeks from the end of September.
Her work boldly explores sexual taboos and BDSM themes, examining both empowerment and vulnerability, often by fetishising iconic personalities (including the Queen and Vladimir Putin) in her distinctive pop art style.
From the end of this month, Lilford Gallery, in the Kent port of Folkestone, is holding a solo show of Michelle’s work, promising an electrifying mix of provocative art.
Consensual Kink will launch with a ‘private view’ (which is in fact open to all) on Friday September 29 from 6-8pm, and will continue at the gallery until Friday October 13 at 5pm.
Coinciding with the Folkestone Triennial, the show will feature 20 works in latex by one of the fetish world’s truly original artists, as well as signed prints.
Among new pieces on show at Consensual Kink will be Brexit Bound (above left) depicting a woman gagged
Michelle says the Brexit piece is “a metaphor for our time” and “poses questions about our voices being heard, sexually, politically and socially”.
It’s a timely variation on the theme of an earlier work entitled — with pointed irony — Land of the Free (above right), in which the same figure is again depicted against a familiar flag.
Mildenhall has exhibited her artwork worldwide, including shows in London, the USA and Germany.
Lilford Gallery is in the heart of Folkestone’s artist quarter at Georges House, 8 The Old High Street, Folkestone CT20 1RL. Gallery opening hours are 10am-5pm.
Folkestone is only an hour from London by high speed train from St Pancras, and just over half an hour through the Channel Tunnel from France.
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BELOW, l-r: Pierrot, Tsarina Putin, Land of the Free and Psycho Thriller (all art: Michelle Mildenhall)