There are quite a few iconic women of fiction in Rhys Cooper's "Femme Fatale" show, all of which highlight the traits and mythologies so revered by fans of the characters.  It's nice to see such strong examples of heroines (and villainesses) on display, favoring their sources of power and authority rather than their sexuality (though many of them do share a particularly bold choice of lipstick).  The bold screen-prints feature both regular and variant editions of such memorable characters as Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, Rogue, Little Red Riding Hood, and more.  The Spoke Art gallery solo show kicks off May 31st in San Francisco.  Hit the jump for more information and a sample of Cooper's work.

Here are the basics:

What:

Rhys Cooper - “Femme Fatale”

A debut solo show of female portrait screen prints

Where:

Spoke Art

816 Sutter Street

San Francisco, CA 94109

When:

Opening Night Reception: Saturday, May 31st - 6pm - 10pm

Show on view until June 21st.

Here's the press release:

Spoke Art is pleased to present Femme Fatale, the debut solo from Australian based screen-print artist Rhys Cooper. With a brand new body of work, Rhys embarks on a portrait series of influential women from the world of popular culture. His ‘femme fatales’ come from all over, from childhood stories to comic books, these women are iconic in one prolific way or another. Themes of female power and womanly authority play a large role in this new body of work and imagery of a violent nature, such as barbed thorns and ferocious winds all attribute to the fierce quality of these ladies and create a tense and seductive platform for Rhys’s figures.

Packed with immense detail and vibrant punchy colors, this series of screen prints are mostly all confined to Rhys’s signature narrow format. This preparation transforms these portraits into war-like banners, especially considering their aggressive aesthetic. With their bold illustrative nature and dark motifs, Rhys transforms the ideological social constructs of femininity and creates a spectacular twist on female heroines, leaving the viewer both a bit terrified and intrigued.

Femme Fatale seeks to explore the communal social consciousness by presenting figures are both instantly recognizable yet also utterly brand new and unique. His twists on the iconic female leads of childhood takes a mature twist; delving into Rhys’s work is like entering a shadowy surreal world, akin to a fantastical nightmare with a strong female lead.

Femme Fatale opens Saturday May 31st at Spoke Art Gallery in San Francisco. The artist will be in attendance.

For more on the show, check out Spoke Art's Facebook page.