“Pent Up Pink” is a solo exhibition showcasing the artwork of local Greenville artist, Fleming Markel. Markel’s sculptures question and defy consumerism, along with the methods and myths it perpetuates about womanhood and femininity. The exhibition consists of 12 life-sized, freestanding sculptures made from everyday feminine materials arranged in a maze-like exhibition space. This layout creates alcoves, enabling individual observation and interaction with each sculpture.

In American culture, beliefs and behaviors are influenced by institutional traditions, including governance, religion, society, and family. Many of these traditional beliefs are, indeed, myths. Fueled by consumerism, these myths wield substantial influence over our daily lives, particularly shaping the self-perception and worldview of and about women. Markel challenges these prescriptive myths by composing her sculptures with everyday consumer products marketed toward women. The approach is lighthearted, embracing the absurd, and paying homage to the Feminist Art movement of the 1970s. Markel’s sculptures are personal and autobiographical, symbolizing an ongoing effort to debunk these controlling myths one step at a time as part of a feminist life journey.

About the Artist
Fleming Markel currently lives and works in Greenville, SC. She is the Director of Greenville Technical College’s Benson Campus Galleries. She holds a BA from Winthrop University, a MEd from the University of South Carolina, and an MFA from Clemson University.

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