An oil painting on the #MeToo debate
The oil painting “#MeToo” was painted by the artist Ashley Grik in 2017 with ecological oil paints on canvas, in the format 80 × 80 cm. It shows the face of a young woman with long blonde hair, next to her sits a white owl. Above it, the hashtag “#Metoo” is written in red letters. The woman and the owl thus show solidarity with those affected by the debate.
The painting is part of a twelve-part series titled “Hashtag #MeToo, Weinstein Scandal Debate”. It was exhibited at the Achtzig Galerie, which was then located at Hagenauer Straße 7 in Prenzlauer Berg.
The Most Important Points
- Ashley Grik painted the oil painting “#MeToo” in 2017, oil on canvas, 80 × 80 cm.
- It shows a young woman with a white owl under the red hashtag.
- The painting is part of a twelve-part series on the debate following the Weinstein scandal.
- Ashley Grik studied at the UdK Berlin and is part of the Berlin School of Painting.
The debate behind the picture
In early October 2017, the New York Times and the New Yorker reported on allegations of sexual harassment and assault against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Shortly thereafter, actress Alyssa Milano called for people to share their own experiences under the keyword "Me too." The hashtag spread across all social networks within a few days, with millions of people worldwide participating. The term had already been coined by activist Tarana Burke in 2006.
Ashley Grik picked up the debate later that same year. Her image translates the hashtag into a silent scene: The young woman looks directly out of the picture, her mouth slightly open as if she is about to say something. The owl at her side, a symbol of wisdom and vigilance since ancient times, can be read as a silent witness.
Ashley Grik and the Berliner Schule
Ashley Grik studied at the Universität der Künste Berlin. She is part of the Berliner Schule der Malerei, a style founded by Diana Achtzig, which includes graduates of the UdK. Like Marc Chagall, her paintings feature people and animals floating in bright, luminous colors through dreamlike scenes.
Her works have been featured in several exhibitions at Achtzig Galerie, such as the 2018 group exhibition “Photography and Painting in Modern Times” and the 2020 digital group exhibitions of the gallery: the Digital Vernissage, the Show on Abstract and Figurative Painting, and the Exhibition with Guest Artists from Austria. You can read more about the gallery in the article Kunstgalerie Berlin Achtzig for Contemporary Art.