Girlpane’s inaugural exhibition featured 33 pieces of stunning visual art exploring the visceralities of gender, body and politics by 13 up-and-coming women + queer artists.
Inspired by the taboo and avant-garde, this Girlpane exhibition displayed a diverse plethora of visual artwork mediums—from oil and acrylic on canvas, to exquisite embroidery, to paper maché, to digital Chinese ink-painting, to screen-printing.
Curators
Linda Hong (Ruì) Cheng
Linda Hong (Ruì) Cheng is a curator, interdisciplinary artist, and PhD researcher & Clarendon Scholar at the University of Oxford. With a multi-faceted background in the visual arts, Chinese cosmology, computational sociology, global history, political economy, and decolonial studies, she explores themes of identity, contentious politics, Chinese metaphysicality, and socio-spiritual freedom in her curatorial practice. Cheng’s work centers on fostering liberation and creating platforms for marginalized voices—especially in relation to gender, sexuality, race, and global impact.
Linda's curatorial approach is deeply rooted in her commitment to community empowerment and breaking convention. To this end, she collaborates with artists whose works break new ground—engaging with novel ways for exploring physical and metaphysical spaces of contention, contradiction, synthesis, and nirvana. Through her exhibitions, she aims to create viscerally immersive experiences which encourage introspection, connection, and transformation.
As founding director and a curator with Girlpane Exhibitions, she brings her vision of inclusivity, decolonial praxis, and artistic innovation to the forefront—championing female and queer artists whilst exploring convention-breaking frameworks for artistic expression.
Rhea Kaur
Rhea Kaur is a curator and interdisciplinary artist studying for a Bachelor's degree in Art History. Currently serving as the creative consultant for Girlpane Exhibitions, the creative director for both the Edgar Wind Society and the Oxford Student Newspaper, Rhea uses her expertise in art history to shape artistic narratives and amplify the voices of underrepresented communities.
With a strong focus on working-class backgrounds, Rhea’s curatorial approach seeks to create spaces that are inclusive and accessible to all. Drawing from her own experiences and the lived realities of those from working-class communities, she aims to challenge traditional artistic structures and foster a more equitable art world. Through her work with the Edgar Wind Society and as a creative director, she is dedicated to promoting art that speaks to diverse histories, social justice, and the power of representation. Rhea’s curatorial practice is centrally shaped by her ongoing commitment to fostering inclusivity and diverse perspectives in art.
Artists
Anya Birch
Anya Birch is a student artist at Oxford Brookes University specialising in painting and sculpture. Currently studying a BA in Fine Art, she has recently exhibited in Home exhibition in Bolton, and Space Studios, Norwich. As an artist, she is often inspired by gender, space, and materiality. She is exhibiting with girlpane because she was inspired by the word ‘visceral’. You can find her works on Instagram @anya.birch.art.
Fatouma Ayeh
Fatouma Ayeh is a London-based photographer. Through the lens of Fatouma Ayeh, known as NomadsTales, the extraordinary emerges from the everyday. Her photography captures the unspoken resilience and quiet strength found in the simplest of moments, weaving visceral connections between people, animals, and their surroundings. You can find her works on Instagram @nomadstales.
Kailun Wei
Kailun Wei is an artist specialising in painting and jewellery design, currently pursuing a Master’s degree at the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London. Her artistic practice explores themes of cultural mythology, natural exploration, and self-reflection, using visual language to investigate the profound connections between individuals and the world around them.
Her work delves into the relationship between cultural heritage and continuity, examining the relevance of ancient languages and traditions in contemporary society. Are these increasingly forgotten legacies still the roots of our spiritual and emotional identity? What role do they play in modern life? Through the interplay of imagery and emotion, Kailun aims to bridge personal and collective memory, inspiring deeper contemplation of heritage and identity. You can find her works on Instagram @wei.kailun.
Lillian Tagg
Lillian Tag is a second-year student at the Ruskin School of Art, Oxford. In her work Rest, Lillian examines how the body conveys sensory memory through fabric and how the essence of lived experience can be held within textiles. Through this exploration, she seeks to emulate the comfort and tranquillity of childhood memories—an ideal that now feels distant. The work invites viewers to reflect on the delicate interplay between memory, material, and the visceral connections that shape our sense of self. You can find her works on Instagram on Instagram @lilliantagg_art.
Linda Hong (Ruì) Cheng
Linda Hong (Ruì) Cheng is a digital Chinese calligrapher, ink-painter (shū huà), prose writer, Beijing Opera-trained singer, model, and PhD researcher in computational sociology at the University of Oxford. Her artistic practice blends traditional Chinese art forms with innovative digital techniques, engaging deeply with themes of identity, contentious politics, socio-spiritual freedom, trauma, grief, spiritual purity, and healing. Drawing from the timeless wisdom of Chinese metaphysicality and contemporary sociological theory, Cheng creates a profound dialogue between the classic and the contemporary, offering nuanced perspectives on the complexities of the human experience.
Cheng’s interdisciplinary approach, merging the realms of art, technology, decolonial theory, political economy, and sociology, positions her as a pioneering force in contemporary art. Through her work, Cheng explores not only the intersections of culture and identity but also the deep emotional landscapes of healing, trauma, and spiritual renewal—offering transformative insights into the personal and collective human condition. You can find her visual artworks on Instagram @lotus_and_crane, her modeling on Instagram @rui.vogue, and her PhD research @lindahongcheng; all her works are aggregated on linktr.ee/lindahongcheng.
Maple Pearce
Maple Pearce, born in London with Japanese-Jamaican heritage, returns to her ancestral roots in Japan’s “Island of the Gods” for her Untitled series. Using a camera she found in a bin in London, Pearce explores themes of identity, memory, and myth, capturing raw, visceral moments that bridge her personal history with the cultural and spiritual landscape of Japan. Pearce’s cultural roots and the found camera intertwine, creating a deeply personal meditation on heritage, survival, and the powerful connections between place and myth. You can find her works on Instagram @maplepearce.
Maria Biernacka
Maria Biernacka is a Brighton-based visual artist specialising in painting. She considers herself a “pictoman”, a term coined by artist Zdzislaw Beksinski — or a person who must paint. Calling herself an artist seems not exactly forced or unnatural, but underwhelming to her relationship with painting. During Maria’s painting journey, her technical and conceptual skills have evolved to a point where she is able to effectively convey complex emotions coming from past and current triggers in her life, ranging from sounds to bodily sensations. You can find her works on Instagram @_awantura_.
Quba Brown-Higgins
Quba Brown-Higgins is a multidisciplinary designer, graduating from Kingston School of Art in Graphic Design as well as studying Womenswear Design at Politecnico Di Milano during her year abroad. Quba’s practise focuses on research led design and explores themes of identity and culture through the lens of a mixed race, woman. Her work aims to investigate different controversial topics, allowing herself to challenge her own preconceived ideas, as well as hoping it makes other people challenge their own. You can find her works on Instagram @quba.graphic_design @q.b_h and her website @qubadesign.cargo.site.
Rhea Kaur
Rhea Kaur is an interdisciplinary artist specialising in photography and painting, studying for a Bachelor's degree in Art History at the University of Oxford. Currently serving as the creative director for both the Edgar Wind Society and the Oxford Student Newspaper, Rhea uses her expertise in art history to shape her visual artwork. You can find her works on Instagram @rheafrombehindthecamera.
Valinor Yinuo Wu
Valinor is an illustrator and interdisciplinary art researcher based in London and Hangzhou. Her work blends artistic practice with philosophical inquiry and has been showcased at venues like Somerset House and Fabric London. As an advocate for empowerment-focused sex education, she integrates creative expression with social themes, crafting projects at the intersection of art and activism. You can find her works on Instagram @daydream_valinor.
Helina Yuheng He
Helina Yuheng He (she/they) is a freelancer working in the art and design industry and a researcher specialising in indigenous craft-making as an approach to the circular economy. Born in Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China, Helina earned a BA from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MSc from the University of Oxford. She has exhibited her work at the RISD Museum in the United States and Worcester College at the University of Oxford. Integrating design, research, and craft, her artistic practice is informed by studies in human-animal relationships, 1990s digital aesthetics, and the anthropological concept of margins and borderlands. You can find her works on Instagram @helinahoisam and her website..
Zoe McGarrick
Zoe McGarrick is a painter and author specializing in horror, abstract, and landscape art. Her publications include The Painter’s Wife (2022) and Winter (2024). Her poetry and artwork have appeared in various anthologies, including The Cowley Rag and Word Tonic’s Food For Thought. As a queer artist in Oxford, Zoe’s participation in Girlpane’s exhibition reflects her commitment to fostering a thriving community for women and queer artists. You can find her works on Instagram (@authorzoemcgarrick) and her website..
