Penrith resident Anna Boros knows that art says what words can’t. That’s why she’s spent the past year creating a portrait series that expresses the adversities of everyday women in the community, in a way that acknowledges and celebrates their stories.
In the quest to create a series about her own life, struggling with the loss of a child and battling with six autoimmune diseases, she was concerned that it was becoming ‘too vain’ and losing its original intent.
By starting conversations at bus stops and on trains, she soon learned that there are many women with similar or other traumatic narratives that she thought deserved to be recognised.
“Women should be praised every day, I was sick of reading magazines saying ‘this celebrity has gone through this’. It’s not just celebrities, it’s the woman you see on the bus, or the stranger walking a dog, these women go through so many experiences and they deserve to be showcased and recognised,” Ms Boros told the Weekender.
“None of these women had a means where they could pour it out, they often say ‘I’ve never told anyone this’ or ‘people don’t understand’, and all through it you just hear the loneliness in their voice.”
The series features 18 portraits of women, 16 of which are from the Penrith region.
Titled ‘Everyday Matriarchal Heroines’, the glassed, pastel canvas drawings represent women who have overcome great struggle.
From cancer and death, to abuse and bullying, each individual has a story to tell.
“I spend a lot of money on these beautiful and elaborate frames but that’s how beautiful and elaborate these women are, and they represent something that appears so ugly but the lessons involved are truly a gift,” Ms Boros said.
“These women needed to be uplifted and noticed and through all of it you’ll find that they are all just absolutely normal.”
Ms Boros has been a practicing artist for over 20 years, exploring minimalism, abstract, cartooning and traditional style through the means of painting, drawing and sculpting.
Her works will be on display at the Tap Gallery in Surry Hills from Tuesday, November 20 until Sunday, November 25.
For more information or to view her work, visit annaborosartist.com.
Nicola Barton
A graduate of Western Sydney University, Nicola Barton is a news journalist with the Western Weekender, primarily covering crime and politics.