Juliette

"Juliette"
Ceramic sculpture by Louise Hapton
From the Alice cherche Alice Series
 
"Juliette" explores the struggle of self-definition within a world governed by rigid social expectations. Part of the Alice cherche Alice Series, the piece delves into the search for identity, a theme deeply tied to the artist’s ongoing exploration of personal and societal constraints.
 
By glorifying Harajuku fashion and alternative subcultures, Juliette presents cuteness not as passive decoration but as an act of defiance. The sculpture embodies the ethos of kawaii culture, where softness, exaggeration, and playfulness become tools for self-assertion. In a society that often dictates how individuals should present themselves, embracing cuteness—a quality typically dismissed as frivolous or immature—becomes a form of rebellion.
 
The work challenges conventional notions of power and visibility, highlighting how self-expression through aesthetics can serve as both armour and a manifesto.
 
Original sculpture by Louise Hapton
Size: 27x14x14cm
Technique: Glazed stoneware ceramic
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The ceramic medium reinforces this tension between fragility and strength. Porcelain, delicate yet enduring, mirrors the duality of identity construction—how external appearances may seem vulnerable yet hold a quiet resilience. The glossy, candy-like surface of Juliette draws the viewer into a world of hyper-feminized beauty, only to reveal the weight of expectation beneath its charming exterior.
 
Hapton’s work urges the viewer to reconsider the value of cuteness in a codified world. Rather than a retreat from reality, Juliette frames it as a radical assertion of self, a rejection of imposed norms, and a celebration of individuality. Through this lens, the search for identity becomes both a struggle and a performance, an endless game of Alice cherche Alice—where one must seek and define oneself beyond society’s predetermined roles.