Nic Fern The club: where real people become unreal men

This work is a comment on the way in which boys and men are indoctrinated with macho norms. The composition creates a contemporary version of French artist Edouard Manet’s Le déjeuner sur l’herbe (The luncheon on the grass) 1862–63. While the theme of the work questions the perceived ideals of masculinity, the main method of production is the typically feminine pursuit of stitch work. However, the sewing needle has been used in a way that subverts the traditional, precise means of application. It is my hope that all men are able to unburden themselves of their phallocentric armour, allowing them the freedom to choose their own masculinity without judgement or social consequence.

Nic Fern, 2023