A novel like no other - remarkably told through museum wall labels - about a twentieth-century woman who transforms herself from a precious object into an unforgettable protagonist
Prized, collected, critiqued. One Woman Show revolves around the life of Kitty Whitaker as she is defined by her potential for display and moved from collection to collection through multiple marriages. Coulson precisely distils each stage of this sprawling life into exhibition wall labels, every brief snapshot in time a wry reflection on womanhood, ownership, value and power.
Described with wit, poignancy and humour over the course of a century, Kitty emerges as an eccentric heroine who disrupts her porcelain life with both major force and minor transgressions. As human foibles propel each delicately crafted text, Coulson's playful reversal on our interaction with art ultimately questions- who really gets to tell our stories?
