THE SELF-DESTRUCTION SERIES (2013)
These works, created for Hobart College’s End-of-Year Art Show, use soft chalk pastel and acrylic paint on cardboard. The series draws strong influence from Pop Surrealist artists such as Mark Ryden and Jasmine Becket-Griffith, whose cherubic, doll-like figures often carry a darker, more mysterious undertone. Within Kirsty’s work, horror and gothic themes surface subtly through each individual piece.
The series centres on a red-haired girl named Carrie, charting her journey from innocence to rebellion and eventual self-destruction. The narrative begins with Carrie’s naivety (Guinea-Pig, fourth from the top), shifts to her battles with inner demons (Wrist-Cutter, bottom row, last), and culminates in her transformation into a bloodthirsty figure of destruction (Final Destination, second row, fourth image). Through this progression, the works explore themes of vulnerability, darkness, and the fragility of identity.
