Unlike most understood feminist notions of “beauty” being pushed onto women, which in the curator’s opinion actually reaffirms the old notion of what a woman’s place was. Kate Tastrophe, who speaks of her images as if they where real ladies, works toward contemporary theories of 3rd wave feminism and shows that this newly found sexually liberated woman, is nothing new. The images show women who use and accentuate their “assist,” and in doing so take hold of Beauty and make it their servant.

These ladies want to be looked at. They want to be studied. They want to inspire those dirty little thoughts. And it’s their rendering of “Beauty” that grants them the power in that moment.

Artist Biography:

Graduating from Columbia College Chicago in 1996 with a Bachelor's in Illustration and graphic design, Katie "Kate Tastrophe" Cain did what all good little sadists do and began tattooing. However, putting a hurt on real flesh kept her close to her former occupation, she had whipped her way through college and was still closely tied (pun intended) to the Chicago S&M scene.

In 2004, she abandoned pencils entirely and began working in watercolors exclusively, a media which lent itself well to the "no do-over's" of tattooing, as well as a unique depiction of skin and reflective surfaces. Drawing from her background in graphic design, she began to create punchy, slick, iconic images designed to capture the eye and quicken the pulse.

A flurry of shows and acclaim came soon after she took the work public and she is currently breaking into the international markets.