Art: Balancing Act

Ellen Cantor's work once again comes to the forefront

Ellen Cantor’s work began to garner critical acclaim in the early 1990s, and recently, there has been a resurgence in interest in her art.

As part of a generation of young feminist artists interested in female representation, Cantor explored the relationship between fiction and life, good and evil, and the role of the female protagonist.

Early in her career, Cantor drew inspiration from fairy tales and Disney films, rejecting the intended naiveté of the female characters, and instead drawing empowerment from their prominence as central characters of the stories. Cantor’s drawings balance a sense of wonderment with sexual imagery, celebrating these female characters as the most fully actualized versions of themselves.

Her work will be at James Barron Art in Kent beginning September 9.