Reintroducing Dangerous Career Babes
Dangerous Career Babes concept sketch 2005; photo collage and first study 2007, Hazel Dooney.
Listen to narration
“Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. What if they are a little coarse and you may get your coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirt once or twice? Up again, you shall never be so afraid of a tumble.” – a modern paraphrase of Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay 'Experience' 1844
Growing up, I was encouraged in school and sports alongside the boys. Educational posters proclaiming “girls can do anything” were co-opted as slogans in Mattel’s ads for Barbie dolls. I played with a Western Barbie and her palomino, Dallas, staging acrobatic feats on horseback.
In Australia, female autonomy gained legal support with the 1984 Sex Discrimination Act. In 1992 loopholes regarding pay gaps were closed and sexual harassment protections strengthened.
Entering the art world in the late 90s, I assumed the main hurdle would be proving my talent and professionalism in a male-dominated field. Art wasn’t my first choice; being an artist was something I came to accept. As shared in 'Origin Story', reality hit hard. We are now learning that women in many professions, including policing, faced shocking challenges. My experiences fractured the childhood illusion that we had progressed to a merit-based society, with women’s rights respected and protected by law.
Art is inevitably shaped by events in the artist's life. My Dangerous Career Babes series emerged soon after I left the traditional art world in rebellion to connect directly with the audience for my work online. The idea for creating serialised, doll-like imagery for adults using a single pose was influenced by Barbie. The figure itself drew on edgier characters: the fierce, sultry Vampirella, drawn by Frank Frazetta with costume by Trina Robins; the sword-and-sorcery mercenary Red Sonja drawn by Frank Thorn with chainmail bikini designed by Esteban Maroto; Eartha Kitt's performance of the outrageous antiheroine, Catwoman; and Peter Chung’s Æon Flux, a character loaded with political, metaphorical and aesthetic baggage. These women were sexualized but owned it, undeterred. They were flawed, fought for complicated ideals, and had fun.
My initial sketch in lead pencil on paper is raw and vibrates with focused anger, reflecting my feelings at the time. I refined the figure using photos of my mirror reflection, collaged and re-drawn in simplified lines. On Instagram, at @hazeldooney, I've posted a carousel of images tracing the progression from concept sketch to photo collage and linework, the first digital studies of the series so far, the opening moments of an auction, a collector’s tattoo, and glimpses of me painting.
For nearly two decades, the series has resonated with collectors and viewers due to a defiant, incongruous mix of feminism, satire, eroticism, empowerment, autobiography, ambiguity and collectible pop art.
Each Babe depicts a woman fleeing an unseen threat toward an uncertain, yet positive future, represented by a vibrant colour field. Professions vary, yet the struggle is universal: chasing hopes, dreams, and autonomy amid peril. A cropped ankle hints at a grasping force off-frame. Clothes slip or rip away, exposing her body. Some characters are easier to understand than others; all advance with composure amid chaos.
Although the characters are female, my intention is for Dangerous Career Babes to embody the grit and determination of anyone who faces chaos head-on, expressing the spirit of liberation and triumph over adversity.
At heart, the Dangerous Career Babes series explores navigating rapid change in unstable times by daring to act. We can’t control our circumstances which are unpredictable and, at times, frightening. Adapting is messy: we take risks, learn as we go, falter until proficient, take a hit and persist. Today, much of the process happens in public. It's ok to be a mess, embarrassment fades. With persistence we evolve. We gain skills, better handle pressure, and come to embrace the cycle of change, finding moments of joy and playfulness throughout all our experiences.