The Last Straw

Inspired by Jungian psychology, dream interpretation, and her personal biography, Hooven crafts subversive and psychologically charged ceramics that explore feminist ideologies while also addressing the pleasures and struggles of being human. As with most of Hooven’s work, The Last Straw takes many cues from fables and fairy tales while being concerned with feminine identity, particularly how it evolves over time and is constructed by culturally prescribed gender roles. Here, a wobbly-looking vessel is topped by an overturned teacup. On the crooked cup teeters a naked woman, whose chest lies flat against its slanted base. With legs dangling and hands searching for something to grip, she looks as though she is going to slide right off the teacup’s edge; if she does fall, however, will she meet her demise or freedom? Simultaneously beautiful and troubling, the piece reflects the artist’s conflicted feelings about womanhood.