This piece by hand lettering artist and designer Alison Carmichael gained fame due to it's unashamed and fierce irony.
The word cunt, some may argue the most offensive word in the dictionary, is beautifully hand lettered, adorned with filigree and accents, reminiscent of Victorian era penmanship. Set against a kitsch candy-covered baby-pink it is immediately inoffensive, then all of a sudden very offensive.
You're drawn in by the aesthetic and shocked by the message, which is exactly what I intend to convey in my own work.
The tagline 'words look much nicer when they're hand lettered' - offers a humorous explanation to the work. It served as an advertisement for Carmichael's skillful calligraphy, forging her an extremely successful career. What she says is true, you can say anything you like, if you make it look pretty. We are fickle human's drawn in by aesthetic first and information last.
It is truly unforgettable due to it's humour, irony and complex layers of perception.
Alison Carmichael - Cunt, 2005
Her work directly inspired my own and influenced my decision to not censor myself. If I had chosen to sensor the 'Fuck's' part of my work, I don't believe it would be as effective. Sensoring is a way to soften your message, I don't want to soften any part of myself or what I'm trying to convey. I want to be loud and proud.
French Connection was famous in the 90s/00s for their t shirts that said fcuk instead of fuck. The message was not lost however. The t shirts were kitsch, playful and cool.
I couldn't use fcuk in my work though, or people might think it was an advertisement for french connection!
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