Diana Thorneycroft

"There must be 50 ways to kill your lover is a series of drawings which portray the murderous behaviour of popular cartoon characters. One of the premises of the work is to comment on the ubiquitous use of violence as a form of entertainment in the media; particularly in television shows geared towards a younger audience. The pencil drawings, which use plush toys as their subject matter, are divided into two categories; Desperate Housewives, and Failed Relationships. For both groups I have depicted well known couples, some "married" (e.g. Mickey and Minnie), some having illicit affairs (e.g. Olive Oyl and Sarge from Beetle Bailey), in situations that suggest domestic abuse. In somewhat of a role reversal, the desperate and fed up wife/girlfriend appears to have murdered, or is in the process of murdering her husband/lover.

The introduction of social issues like marital failure and betrayal imply narratives that go beyond the scenes depicted. Response to the work vacillates between the obvious black humour of plush toys committing acts of homicide, and the harsh reality that many spouses die at the hands of their lovers."

Diana Thorneycroft