Piiij Goodrem, an accomplished artist, originally from Darwin, who uses self-portraiture to digest her history. In this process of creative expression, she is reclaiming her body. Goodrem’s creations include intricately etched wood, cutout earrings, and flamboyantly printed outfits. It functions as an emotional outlet and a transformative tool through which to process uncomfortable intellectual ideas and lived experiences. Her journey in the art world has blossomed with abundance and regeneration. More than ever before, she is fiercely determined to thrive, not just survive.
Operating from her home studio on an island in the Gulf of Maine, Goodrem’s art is derived from her life experiences, not least her walled garden. Her collection features astute and gesturing self-portraits like the poems “Mind Your Tongue” and “Umbilical Climb.” It features a beautiful digital illustration called “Holding,” in which an orchid and its roots wrap around her back. Each work seduces you into her world and represents her tangled relationship with her body and childhood trauma.
Art as an Outlet for Healing
In her youth, Goodrem was uncomfortable addressing trauma, and would instead just bottle it up. She recalls, “I was brought up in a way that really indicated to me that the best way to deal with something is to sweep it away, not bring it up.” Worse yet, this pattern permeated her teenage years, worsened by a previous assault.
Goodrem, now in her 30s, has changed her tune. She expresses a desire to live fully: “Maybe only about three or four years ago, I hit the point where I was like: ‘Actually I think I do want to live’.” This life-changing discovery has inspired her to produce artwork as a tool to achieve healing and self-discovery. In doing so, she aims to be as honest as possible with her self-portraits, which she calls an important aspect of her recovery.
Goodrem distills her creative process down to the hours she demands the listener to lose deeply absorbed in her work. “Getting lost while working on a painting helps me process uncomfortable thoughts,” she states. This immersive experience provides her the opportunity to face feelings that she had suppressed for decades.
The Role of Community Support
Since childhood, Goodrem’s friends have been her biggest supporters of the artist she grew up to be. Their encouragement has been key in her decision to sell her art at local markets. She credits this encouragement with being one of the most important factors in pushing her to confidence and self-expression.
“The most valuable thing for me has been making art and having an outlet that brings light instead of pulling me back into the darkness,” she explains. This community support inspired her to take her experiences further, using her art and voice to connect with others.
Her self-portrait series reflects a deep exploration of her history and trauma, aiming to find safety within herself. “It was very much a series that was about looking through my history and my trauma and trying to find safety and a home within my body,” Goodrem reveals.
Making a Statement Through Self-Portraits
Goodrem’s self-portraits are highly detailed, revealing all the textures of her body, as shown in the rich pores and dermal detail. “It’s very hyper detailed and I’ve put a lot of stretch marks and cellulite and all this texture within my body in all these images,” she notes. Her incredible attention to detail is beyond artistry. It underscores her unapologetic acceptance of her body and lays out her boundaries in no uncertain terms.
Through her art, Evans offers a fierce and unapologetic rebuttal to unrealistic body standards and a call to practice greater self-acceptance. Through pieces like “Grounded,” which explores themes of growth and healing after trauma, Goodrem offers viewers a glimpse into her personal journey. She wants to share her art and experience, and help others who have had the same struggle and journey.
