JAZMINA CININAS

When COVID struck in 2020 and Melbourne (along with the rest of the world) was suddenly thrust into lockdown, I had to 'pivot' to teaching printmaking online to students who no longer had access to printmaking facilities or equipment. Unable to access my archive of teaching resources, I made some new collagraph plates from materials I had at hand for the purposes of testing and demonstrating the medium to my first year students - printing with a bone folder! Thankfully, we are back in the print studio and my subsequent demonstrations could take place using a press.

When, in 2022, I had to produce an edition for the 3rd year exchange portfolio, I decided it was time to put my collagraph editioning skills to the test by utilising my 'COVID' plates. I also thought it was about time I finally resolved the various demonstration prints I had begun since 2020, through overprinting with multiple collagraph plates and monoprinted flowers.

Click here to learn about Tognina Gonsalvus, the real life 16th-century hairy woman who inspired this work.

Jerboa Jerboa's enchantments cost most dear was created for the Entrancing Others exchange portfolio, curated by Rona Green and exhibited at the Gippsland Art Gallery in 2021, where it also entered the collection. The image was designed to work as two versions: a full version for a very limited edition; and a 'cropped' version for the exchange portfolio. The portrait of a two-headed were-thylacine draws on early modern woodblock illustrations of hairy wild women and monstrous dog-headed races, as well as the unkind cliché of Tasmanians having two heads. These studio snaps show Jerboa Jerboa in progress. 

Click here to view the Entrancing Others catalogue
Click here to learn about the cinematic hirsute heroine who inspired Jerboa Jerboa