Pretty Ugly
Emmy Cooper Granville
20 AUGUST–6 September

Emmy Cooper Granville (Nightmarish Meatballs) examines unconventional beauty standards and mental health through garish, colourful paintings. Her “Badly Drawn Ghouls” are awkward little oddballs with oversized eyes, a passion for neon, and a desire to be seen—but not perceived.

PRETTY UGLY explores the uncomfortable space between wanting to stand out and wanting to disappear. The Ghouls wear bright colours, funky jewellery, and clothes that don’t stand a chance of blending in—yet they remain unsure of themselves. They reflect the awkward and confusing performance of adulthood: trying to look like you’ve got it all together while wondering if everyone else somehow received an instruction manual that skipped your mailbox.

Some of the Ghouls appear confident. Others seem overwhelmed, smug, exhausted, or completely zoned out. All of them are dealing with a lot, and maybe that’s why something about them feels familiar. Beneath the bright outfits, crooked smiles, and slightly unhinged expressions, they’re simply trying to stay true to themselves in a world that demands conformity.

These Ghouls may be badly drawn, but they’re doing their best. Aren’t we all?