Madeleine Chiles

PAINTING 

Instagram: @madeline_chiles

My painting practice employs visual signifiers in order to explore the relationship between femininity and tactile experiences. The central motif of a glove is metaphorical; this object, traditionally associated with femininity, connotes warmth and protection, while the delicate folds and creases articulated in a palette of flesh tones and chromatic greys speak of tenderness. The precious nature of our intimate relationship with garments is explored through a folding and unfolding of fabric and flesh, intertwining the material with self. This ritual of care – in putting on the glove - is universally feminine, capturing not a single moment in time but an endless cycle of womanhood. The gentle movement in the garment and the uncertainty of where hand ‘finishes’ and glove ‘begins’ seeks to return a female viewer back to the comfort of a mother’s touch, and the warmth and safety that the subconsciousness desires most.