Artist Madeline Pfull grew up in Sydney, Australia in a quiet, suburban neighborhood, which very much inscribed in her work. The subjects Pfull paints are partially inspired by comedic and awkward Australian phenotypes portrayed and often exaggerated in media. Her subjects exude a specific type, usually wearing dated clothing, set within kitschy domestic interiors and sporting flamboyant, retro hair. The figures she describes as 'character portraits' can convey a sense of power and panache – these middle-aged women are rulers of their own cookie-cutter universe. Most of the works feature variations on those phenotypes melded with portrayals of her extended family members, like aunts, parents, neighbors and so forth. Yet, all these quirky figures are embraced with an earnest tone that is tender, nostalgic and deeply personal. Adding a poignantly psychological layer to her process, the artist dresses up and models for herself, performing as these specific characters by literally embodying them. She performs unique quips, gestures and mannerisms for each character and creates elaborate backstories and narratives to be played out in the paintings. The latent personality being her middle-aged self, as she is often wearing her mother’s clothing and envisioning herself becoming these women in an alternate, but not too far-off, universe. The result is a stylish, yet peculiar, exploration of the self through the veil of compelling phenotypes.
