Alessia Marrocco
‘You know how females are’ 2026. Acrylic and thread on stretched bed sheets; 3 paintings: 31cm x 41cm each.
Artist statement
This triptych explores how sexism and misogyny infiltrate everyday life through casual language such as “you know how females are”.
Microaggressions subtly reinforce expectations of women, shaping how we are perceived and treated. Through painting personal imagery on my old bedsheets, the work documents moments spent with women I love, grounded in intimacy and memory. All of these women are strong, kind, intelligent and capable. Yet, the phrase “you know how females are” isn’t referring to any of these attributes. The act of sewing further extends this tension, referencing traditionally feminine labour. Across the series, the sexist phrase becomes increasingly visible, reflecting how gendered conditioning that once operated beneath my awareness has become more overt with age.
You know how females are seeks to highlight the quiet but persistent structures that undermine women, inviting reflection on the dissonance between stereotype and reality.
Photograph: Anna Kucera
Photographs: Anna Kucera
Acknowledgement of Country
UNSW School of Art & Design stands on an important place of learning and exchange first occupied by the Bidjigal and Gadigal peoples.
We acknowledge the Bidjigal and Gadigal peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land that our students and staff share, create and operate on. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend this respect to all First Nations peoples across Australia. Sovereignty has never been ceded.
