My Sister's Lashes

Treading this fine line relies on an awareness to give it kudos, My Sister's Lashes played it close to the line, further emphasising the power of subjectivity on interpretation. Parton consciously employs ambiguity, juxtaposing pathos and sexiness, paying homage to popular culture with more than just a small nod to teen culture. The work aimed to highlight the discomfort created by the self-conscious need to perform, the acting out of roles that is part of forming identity.

Parton's use of popular culture to make her point provides easy apertures for viewers to form an understanding of her work. Introducing a fey nostalgia, she draws from her own past to explore the formation of identity as a composite of culture, gender and sexuality. Coming from a collaborative practice in which it is common to involve dancers, film-makers and musicians, Parton also draws on her peers in creating work, expressing a sort of ubiquitous pop culture comprising the identities of herself and others.