The horror

In a novel reaction to the fears and uncertainties of freelance work, illustrator and street artist The Pern (Fon to her chums) has turned ‘feeling the fear and doing it anyway’ into an adorably ghoulish proposition.

Her forthcoming exhibition, Zombies, Monsters & Guts, Oh My! came about in an attempt to cure herself of her fear of horror films, by thoroughly immersing herself in the blood splats and gore that characterise the movies.

The Pern explains, ‘Basically it’s a very personal project about facing my fears. I don’t like horror films – I was pushed into them at too young an age, so I made the show all about monsters and things’.’

‘Its about facing them and reinterpreting them – it’s a personal issue. Being a freelancer is scary – you never know where your next project is coming from, so this is reflecting that fear.’

The show will see eight newly created movie-poster style prints on display,  influenced by the horror films and their soundtracks that The Pern has bravely absorbed over the last few weeks for the sake of her art.

She adds, ‘Now I look back and go “what a silly person”. It taught me that I should be more adventurous – with jobs and things I’m always like “ooh I’m a bit scared” – everyone has some of that self-doubt, but you just have to face up to it.’

Zombies, Monsters & Guts, Oh My! opens on 8 April for 6 about  weeks at North Bar, 24 New Briggate, Leeds LS1 NU