There are moments, after doing something we never believed we could, when we’re barely able to recognize our reflection in the mirror. We gaze steadily and trace the outlines of our face, to prove we’re still there. Memories of our life speed through our mind. Like a voyeur we see our existence through new eyes. In these glimpses we can make out that little demon that hides behind our pupils. That presence appears during our most vulnerable moments, when we’re not able to keep it locked behind reason.
Each day we see those social demons being thrown at us through the media. We try to ignore them, but they inadvertently become part of our psyche. We notice them as we turn the pages of a fashion magazine. Those digitally altered images embodying presumed perfection are pitted alongside headlines showcasing the evil side of humanity. But what about the devil that lives inside us?
The horrors of genocide, drug trafficking, and environmental pollution are nothing more than the manifestations of our inner demons. By not facing them, we are forced to bring them out through malicious attitudes. All we need is to remember our moments of crisis, where we came in contact with the darkness within us, the part of ourselves we’re ashamed of and wish nobody ever sees.
Evil is not out there. We’ll come face to face with it by simply looking inside our soul. We have built and taken control of it. We move it to different places in order to observe and recognize how it’s right there, striking a pose in front of us.
There’s a side of us that identifies with our inner devil, as the other runs away out of fear of being possessed by it.
But if we stop being afraid and look within ourselves, we’ll see how that side is still a part of us, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Being at peace with our own demons is to accept ourselves while also understanding that our dark side is part of the duality that gives balance.
Polly Nor is a London illustrator who does honest, saucy, unashamed illustrations. She focuses on female sexuality through rough, satirical lines so far from the stereotype of beauty that create an unreal work. These representations of any woman’s everyday life are given a touch of humor and irony that connects to the female audience without trying to satisfy the male gaze.
This young artist uses the devil as a way to represent different ideas and stories, making imagination and female fantasy come to life. These moments can be translated into frustrations, emotions, and desires. Polly Nor questions the media’s corruption of the male gaze where women’s sole purpose is to be attractive. Her characters are usually in a home setting, alone in their rooms, where they don’t need to please anyone.
“I focus on how they feel and what they think instead of how they look.”
To find more about this artist and her work, you can visit her website, Twitter, or Instagram account.
Translated by María Suárez
