Extremely Supernormal: An Exhibition by Rossanne Pellegrino

Extremely Supernormal is a playful and bordering-on-the-bizarre exhibition of works combining collage, print, textiles and techniques often considered ‘women’s work’. The exhibition takes selected pieces from Rossanne Pellegrino’s series, ‘No Wallflower’ and ‘Play at Home Mum’, and explores themes of memory, identity, domesticity and play.

Pellegrino draws inspiration from Suffragette banners, as well as sage advice handed down generations - usually between women - and the sherbet-toned colour palettes of old 1960s films, to create her ‘No Wallflower’ wall-hangings. She uses techniques often considered 'women's work' such as sewing and embroidery, combining them with collages of found photos and imagery from vintage women's magazines and often incorporating pre-loved objects. Like grandma’s treasured doilies, fabric place card holders with top hat-adorned turkeys wearing monocles and smoking cigars, or children’s toys the artist replicates with clay. Tassel fringing features heavily throughout, glitter makes an appearance and Technicolour hues accompany her found imagery on textiles. The titles of Pellegrino’s pieces are also a nod to her memories of advice overheard or handed down to her. Such as ‘A Stitch in Time’..., ‘Messy Room, Messy Life’ to the lesser known, ‘Always Carry a Handkerchief and a Safety Pin’ and ‘Just Wear the Damn Bikini’.

Following similar themes, Pellegrino’s 'Play at Home Mum' is a series of bright and bold collages about memory, domesticity  and the expectations of adulthood - in particular, the lack of play and curiosity as we become older. Using nostalgic images and childhood toys that hark back to a time passed, the everyday becomes a world of surreal characters hiding out in obscure yet familiar domestic settings. From ‘I’ll Be Seeing You II’ in which a woman stares out to her audience from behind a pair of toy scissors the artist has recreated out of clay, to ‘Today’s Look’ featuring apocalyptic zombie lipstick. 'Play at Home Mum' has become a collection of the bizarre, strange and sometimes humorous portrayal of her 'mum life' experiences and an attempt to reconnect with daily play. 

Extremely Supernormal opens Sat 17 June, 6 - 8pm at Solaris, 76 Norman Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, TN38 0EJ, East Sussex. Exhibition dates 17 June - 12 August 2023.