Polly Nor Explained

Polly Nor
Birth Date:	2 June 1989
Birth Place:	London, England
Nationality:	English
Alma Mater:	Loughborough University

Polly Nor (born 2 June 1989 in London, England) is a contemporary freelance surrealist artist who draws "women and their demons".^[1] Her art mainly focuses on the themes of female identity, self esteem in the 21st century^[2] and the portrayal of women in their bedrooms. Nor states that she is inspired by her own experiences as a woman,^[3] her struggles with depression, technology, and the average, modern day woman. She works in a multitude of mediums, including print and sculpture, to create her unconventional style. She grew up drawing and received a degree in illustration from Loughborough University.

Career

According to Niloufar Haidari, Nor's satirical and humorous look into female sexuality and its demons led to her rise in popularity.^[4] Her art has become famous on social media^[5] and she has worked with Gucci,^[6] Andy Baker and Chelou for the music video "Halfway to Nowhere",^[7] Dazed Digital, Dr Martens, and Complex magazine. She was also a guest speaker for The Apple Store hosted by Dazed Magazine. She is currently working on illustrating a book for Bloomsbury Publishing^[8] and debuting her next exhibition through Red Bull Studios London.^[9]

Works

Nor initially became popular online and her work has been shown in multiple art galleries. As a part of the Association of Illustrators, she has produced various shows including "Sorry Grandma: An Exhibition of Obscene Illustrations" at 71a Gallery in 2015 and "It's Called Art Mum, Look it Up" and "Airing My Dirty Laundry In Public"^[10] at Protein Studios in 2017 and 2018, respectively. While most of her shows take place in London, she has shown her work at the "NSFW: The Female Gaze"^[11] exhibit in Museum of Sex in New York City. Her art work often references pop culture and per Haidari, is considered a modern day take of the Lowbrow art movement.^[12]

Nor says her work, especially her common theme "women in devil suits", is "about growing up: feeling the pressure to look a certain way, or to put this face on for the rest of the world, but lots of people read into it in different ways".^[13]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Polly Nor, the artist, on women and devils. Usher. Tom. 2016-12-16. BBC Three. en-GB. 2019-01-21.
2. Web site: Polly Nor: It's Art Mum, Look it Up. Benson. Eben. juxtapoz. en. 2019-01-21.
3. Web site: Polly Nor's Illustrations Capture The Real Version Of 21st Century Women. 2016-06-13. Nylon. en. 2019-01-22.
4. Web site: how artist polly nor uses frustration, anxiety, and sadness to fuel her creativity. Haidari. Niloufar. 2017-02-03. I-D Vice. Vice Media. en-US. 2019-01-22.
5. Web site: Polly Nor new exhibition It's Called Art Mum Look It Up. www.redbull.com. 2019-03-26.
6. Web site: Gucci Enlists 15 Female Artists To Tell Awkward, Funny And Cute Stories For Acqua di Fiori. Magazine. Oyster. 2018-05-01. Oyster. en. 2019-01-22.
7. Web site: Magical Drawings Put Women in Conversation With Their Demons. Rizzo. Cailey. 2017-01-15. Vice Media. en-US. 2019-01-22.
8. Web site: how artist polly nor uses frustration, anxiety, and sadness to fuel her creativity. Haidari. Niloufar. 2017-02-03. I-D. en-US. 2019-03-26.
9. Web site: Polly Nor new exhibition It's Called Art Mum Look It Up. www.redbull.com. 2019-03-26.
10. Web site: The AOI - Polly Nor Exhibition. Association of Illustrators. en-GB. 2019-01-21.
11. Web site: The Museum of Sex Presents: "NSFW Female Gaze". www.juxtapoz.com. en. 2019-01-21.
12. Web site: how artist polly nor uses frustration, anxiety, and sadness to fuel her creativity. Haidari. Niloufar. 2017-02-03. I-D. en-US. 2019-01-22.
13. Web site: Polly Nor's art celebrates us women and our weirdness. Dazed. 2017-08-14. Dazed. en. 2019-02-13.