About the artist: Molly Hankinson
Molly Hankinson is a visual artist, illustrator and muralist from South East London, currently living in Glasgow. She graduated in Fine Art: Painting and Printmaking from The Glasgow School of Art (2014-18), and is now based at SWG3, where she has her permanent studio after receiving their graduate studio residency.
Molly looks at the honest and unapologetic representation of people and communities through an intersectional feminist lens, with an unparalleled and celebratory reclamation and ownership of space evident in her work.
Incorporating the aesthetics of bright and considered colour placement with use of continuous line, Molly creates ‘bold and subtly detailed, inclusive celebrations’ of socially engaged narratives.
Her work attempts to dismantle learned perceptions around gender, highlighting mutual struggles and understandings through the gathering of rich and diverse stories.
In visualising collective experiences that resonate with audiences, her work attempts to encourage solidarity amongst viewers.
Clients include The Body Shop, Sky Arts, Fritz Kola, Scottish Football Association, Coppafeel!, Chivas Regal, and the Global Network of Sex Work Projects.
Find out more about Molly and her work:
- www.mollyhankinson.com
- Instagram: @mollyhankinson.studio
Photo credit: Jay Patterson
THE RUG
Floor Decal
130 x 300cm
‘THE RUG’ challenges the very notion of silence, prompting a collective reflection on the responsibilities that institutions bear in addressing gender-based violence. Through a nuanced interplay of text, colour, and motif, each element echoes themes identified in student and staff focus groups.
Being reflective of the institutional failings that have been historically overlooked, or, ‘swept under the rug’, it beckons the University to engage in a dialogue, to lift the veil on uncomfortable truths, and to collectively foster an environment where gender-based violence is taken seriously and handled without prejudice.
Visual description
THE RUG shows different words, written in different fonts and colours, creating a patchwork rug effect. The words and phrases are from left to right: Innuendo, catcalling, disbelief, (surprise surprise!) misogyny, boys will be boys, infantilisation, just banter, misogynoir, silence, mansplaining, transphobia, toxic masculinity, neglect, sexism, belittling, micro-aggressions, coercion, #TogetherAgainstGBV, THE RUG, fetishisation, misuse of power, grade a gaslighting (extra hot lies), and the artists handle @mollyhankinson.studio.
THE LINE
Printed Illustration on Foam Board
- 8 x 150cm
Serving as a positive counterpart to ‘THE RUG’, ‘THE LINE’ is a declaration of progress and commitment by the University of Glasgow. As a visual promise, it looks beyond previously acknowledged historical shortcomings, representing phrases and themes from student and staff focus groups that envision a healthier and safer institutional response to gender-based violence going forward.
It is a letter of solidarity, boldly drawing a visual boundary in the sand and promising to do better.
Visual description
A bright and colourful text-based illustration printed on an extra long foam board that represents the line drawn in the sand regarding gender based violence. Words and phrases on left to right: healing, enthusiastic consent, allyship, healthy masculinity, men calling out bad behaviour, space, intersectional support, THE LINE, #OneTeamUofG, healthy rejection, belief, queer power, accountability, trans joy, visibility, interruption, communication, active bystander, collective action, recovery, consequences, solidarity, effective reporting, and trust. Behind all of the words there is a long line with arrows pointing left and right at each end.
You Are Seen
Hand-painted Mirror
‘You Are Seen’, serves as a visual metaphor for the institution's commitment to increased visibility and empathy in handling gender-based violence. Inviting students and staff to engage with the piece and see themselves reflected within the artwork, ‘You Are Seen’ symbolically centres the viewers’ experiences and places them at the forefront of the conversation.
The mirror becomes a portal for affirmation, as well as a visual commitment from the university to acknowledge and believe those who have been affected.
In asking the viewer to engage in dialogue with their own reflection, the viewer is able to affirm their presence and significance within the university community.
Visual description
Large floor length freestanding arched mirror which has been hand-painted on the glass. The painting shows a graphic block-colour illustration of a young woman of East Asian heritage crouching down, with one had raised to the side of her face. She is wearing a yellow jumper, and blue trousers and trainers. Around her are the words ‘You Are Seen’, pink with a black drop-shadow.
Men! Sit Down for Your Rights!
Printed Illustration on Foam Board
- 85 x 120cm
‘Men! Sit Down for Your Rights!’ is a rallying call for men to assume collective responsibility for the dismantling of harmful cultural norms, by challenging men to recognise the pervasive impact of patriarchy on all genders. It emphasises that the onus is not solely on women and other marginalised genders to lead this change, but that men must actively understand and address their role in perpetuating these standards.
In choosing to educate oneself and centring the experiences of those affected, one becomes a catalyst for change. Through the highlighting of actionable steps toward allyship, this piece stands as a visual manifesto, challenging men to actively engage in the ongoing fight for a safer, more inclusive campus environment.
Visual description
A colourful illustration showing a young white cisgender man with short brown hair site reading a book on the Glasgow Subway. The book is ’The Descent of Man’ by Grayson Perry. In the subway carriage there are advertisements for the books ’The Will to Change’ by bell hooks, and ‘Mask Off’ by J.J Bola. Behind him on the platform there is an advertisement for ’Showing Up! The Musical (on Ice).
Library resources
If you would like to read more based on the references in the art work, the library has these titles available:
Self Care as an Act of Resistance
Printed Illustration on foam board
- 85 x 120cm
‘Self-Care as an Act of Resistance’ encourages a redefinition of strength, by celebrating self-care as an essential part of healing and acceptance in the face of trauma. In the context of gender-based violence, the act of reclaiming one's body through personal care becomes a radical gesture.
The piece challenges the notion that vulnerability is a weakness, asserting the belief that softness is an undeniable form of empowerment. The artwork invites viewers to contemplate the weighty act of authentic self-love, positioning it as a vital component of resilience and healing.
In urging the viewer to prioritise their well-being, it acknowledges that caring for oneself can often feel like a revolutionary act.
Visual description
A colourful illustration showing two young women in the corner of a Glasgow tenement kitchen. One is standing behind the other, shaving an undercut of the woman in front, who is sitting in a wheelchair. They are wearing bright and colourful clothes, and are surrounded by plants and book which sit on shelves in the background.
NOT ASKING FOR IT
Riso Print Paste-up on Foam Board
- 100 x 150cm
‘NOT ASKING FOR IT’ centres education around consent as a fundamental cornerstone in dismantling the culture around gender-based violence. The installation demands a critical examination of the alleged ‘grey areas’ surrounding consent, exposing the different ways that the undermining of consent can manifest.
The artwork is intentionally raw and confrontational, demanding the viewer to sit with their discomfort in an attempt to spark conversations that delve into the nuances of the conversation, whilst making it clear that the presence of nuance does not provide an excuse for complicity. The piece rejects the traditional ‘No Means No’ rhetoric, in lieu of a clearer understanding that enthusiastic consent, is the only consent.
By encouraging active listening and communication in sexual relationships, the artwork is a direct response to the pressing need for better awareness, urging the university community to actively engage in the uncomfortable conversations surrounding consent.
Visual description
A colourful paste-up of 8 different riso prints that addresses the nuances of consent. Each riso print shows line drawing illustrations of a diverse range of bodies, with accompanying text clockwise from top left: ‘my clothes, our relationship, silence, being drunk, flirting, does not mean yes.’, ’Not Asking For It’, ‘boys will be boys (men will be accountable for their actions), ’no does not mean convince me’, ’sex is not something to be won by one, and taken by another, ‘enthusiastic consent = consent’, ‘my yes is reversible’, hesitation means stop’.