LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS

Description

NELLIE BLY (1864–1922) was an American journalist, writer, and pioneer of investigative reporting. She became famous for her undercover exposés, her advocacy for social reform, and her record-breaking journey around the world in 72 days. 

This painting reflects on how Nelly was initially assigned to the women’s pages of journalism, covering subjects like flowers and domestic life, before being able to move into more serious investigative reporting. The work connects this historical framing of “soft” female-coded topics with my own interest in how such assignments shaped what women were allowed to write, and to see.

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