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Kate Davis (born 1977) based in Glasgow, is a multidisciplinary Scottish artist working across film, video, drawing, printmaking, installation, and book works. Her artistic practice is dedicated to exploring and challenging the portrayal of history and memory. She aims to reconsider what certain histories could look, sound and feel like, reflecting a deliberate effort to question traditional narratives and reimagine how specific histories are visually, sonically, and emotionally represented. Davis engages with the aesthetic and political ambiguities of historical artworks and their reception, contributing to her broader mission of reshaping our perception of the past.

Participant, Sorcha Dallas Gallery, Glasgow, 2004
Two pencil drawings: could you please should, please ?and could you? alongside a print: could you please? featuring altered domestic objects such as bottles and wine glasses, each adorned with gesturing arms and small misshapen heels.

Adding a layer of complexity to the interpretation of these artworks was the incorporation of an actual stage, which occupied a significant portion of the gallery space. This stage, previously a fixture at the local live music venue, the 13th Note, transitioned into the possession of the Transmission Gallery, where Davis had previously served as a committee member. By repurposing this stage for her exhibition, Davis not only utilized the physical object but also appropriated its history of bodily impact, a notion further emphasized by the application of a fleshy pink paint coating.

Could you please should,please?2004
A wine glass, presumably dropped from the edge of a brick or table corner, lies shattered on the dark ground. However, what catches the eye is the stand of the glass, which is shaped like a stiletto heel. This peculiar design renders it impossible for the glass to ever stand upright and fulfil its intended function. Spilling its contents onto a nearby table, evoking a sense of pathos and unease. Upon returning to the gallery in its serene emptiness, one could discern the ingrained dirt and scars etched into the surface of the stage, alongside a knothole that initially bore resemblance to the imprint of a high-heeled shoe plunging through the wood. These subtle details underscored the deliberate awkwardness that Davis had imbued into the exhibition, making such occurrences entirely conceivable.

Your Body is a Battleground Still, Art Now, Tate Britain, London, 2007
[[File:Your-Body-is-a-Battleground-Still-installation-view-2-Tate-Britain.jpg|thumb|Your Body is a Battleground, 2007Installation view, Tate Britain

]] By distilling the languages of Barbara Kruger (your body is a battleground) and Jacob Epstein (Rock Drill), Davis adeptly revisits specific moments in art history and seamlessly brings them into the present. Time, is not a rigid construct but rather an indistinct and elastic entity, ripe for disruption. Davis actively seeks out the fissures and cracks within familiar territories, imbuing her art with a sense of fluidity and evolution. Through this approach, she invites viewers to reconsider established narratives and engage with the ever-changing dynamics of artistic expression.

Your Body is a Battleground (poster), 2007
Davis portrays herself as burdened and constrained by an assortment of objects, her body becoming an unwilling host to these parasitic encumbrances. Yet, simultaneously, the body she portrays echoes Epstein’s ‘Rock Drill’, a figure originally celebrated for its unrestrained embodiment of pulsating, thrusting masculinity. However, over time, this portrayal was subjected to censorship, reflecting a transformation in societal perceptions and attitudes towards gender and power.