“Doll Parts is a little vignette, with moments of navel gazing.

It was born out of a discussion I fell into with a loved one – that lingered with us both – which queried a pause in feminism.

It looks at the work itself, poking about at its decorative elements, as it soap boxes with much huff and puff, wanting to exist for greater purpose.”

Cricket Saleh works in Photography. In a professional context she is highly sought after for her completely unique approach to image making.

She has a seemingly effortless ability to capture the feeling and atmosphere of a concept. In her arts practice Cricket explores the genre of Still Life, simultaneously referencing art historical understandings of the medium and subverting it. She creates the illusion of a painted surface through considered lighting.

Her works are crisp; simple compositions, tangible texture and moody tones. Cricket’s photographs depict an ongoing interest in the ephemeral nature of life. Beauty, indulgence, consumption and decay are underlying themes in her artwork.

Doll Parts was born the moment my mother uttered the sentence ‘When did feminism die?’

Together, over lunch, we unravelled, rather artfully, the moment that lead to the utterance, and an entire 47 years of living as the daughter of a second wave feminist.

Folklore includes my mum reading Germaine Greer’s’ ‘The Female Eunuch’ while pregnant with me. Folklore also notes her doing the dishes, heavily pregnant, and the pennies all dropping rather unceremoniously.

Doll Parts is all Courtney Love in the title, Vivienne Westwood in the lighting, and PJ Harvey in the shadow zones. The moments of prettiness are merely a ruse, a distraction, a nothingness.

The work looks at itself, poking about at its decorative elements, as it soap boxes with much huff and puff, wanting to exist for greater purpose.

Take the rest as you will. I have given you too much already.

Kindest,

Third wave feminist.

Cricket

Cricket will be giving an artist talk on Saturday 10th April at 1:30pm – all welcome, no bookings required but please check in via a QR code on arrival. ⁠⁠

Doll Parts runs until April 18. To see a full listing, click here.

Install images by Carli Wilson Photography.