Head Held High

A female acrobat wearing a rabbit mask performs a routine with her arms raised above her and one leg lifted. Trapeze performers swing through the air in the background. Part of artist Kat Silver's circus-inspired series, the painting explores female empowerment and society's pressures that expect women to put on a facade and hide their authentic selves in the service of others. The artwork invites the viewer to consider how girls are groomed to be "seen and not heard," whereas boys are encouraged to be outspoken and leaders. Modern women often juggle motherhood, working, and their personal lives, suppressing their true feelings to be more accepted by society.