Artist Margo McDaid Launches Exhibition to Empower Women and Challenge Misogyny
Artist Margo McDaid, known professionally as Margo in Margate, has unveiled a powerful new gallery show aimed at making women visible and countering harmful narratives propagated by figures like Andrew Tate. The exhibition, titled Sisters With Secrets, opened at The Pie Factory gallery in Margate, Kent, on Friday, with proceeds supporting domestic violence services.
A Personal Journey from Trauma to Healing Through Art
McDaid, a former primary school teacher in London, left her profession in 2006 after a devastating incident where one of her pupils and the child's mother were murdered by the mother's boyfriend. She described the event as leaving her "ill" and "broken," noting she still thinks about the little girl "every single day." Painting became her therapeutic outlet, helping her heal while allowing her to advocate passionately for women's experiences.
"It's really a nod to the fact that lots of women do have secrets, and you don't realise what women endure and experience," McDaid told the Press Association. "Behind that is all these layers of what women experience, which is not obvious. Domestic violence is a massive issue, and you meet women and they're traumatised, but they still have this vibrancy about them. That's what I'm trying to capture in my work—that vibrant energy that women bring."
Inspired by Resilience in the Face of Adversity
During her decade teaching in King's Cross, McDaid worked with vulnerable children, including those from a nearby Women's Refuge, exposing her to the struggles of mothers who had endured trauma and abuse. She emphasized that despite the school's loving and caring environment, it wasn't enough to prevent the tragedy that unfolded.
"A really violent man killed them, and it was just horrific," she recalled. "I still get upset about that because how could you not? How is this still happening? Why is it still happening?" This profound experience fuels her artistic mission to highlight women's strength and resilience.
Confronting Criticism and Advocating for Women's Space
McDaid's focus on painting women exclusively has drawn criticism, such as from a man who questioned why the subjects' mouths weren't open. She responded defiantly, asserting her artistic freedom and the importance of making women visible without conforming to patriarchal expectations.
"Why would their mouth be open? Why would you want women to have their mouth open in a painting?" she challenged. "You don't get to come in and tell me what I should be painting or what they should look like. Making women visible is really important. And when people say to me: 'Why do you only paint women?' I think: 'Why not? Why not just paint women?' If I was a landscape artist and I painted mountains, nobody would ever say: 'Why just paint mountains?'"
She sees such comments as part of a systemic issue that views women as mere facilitators for men, reinforcing her commitment to using art as a tool for empowerment. "In a world of Andrew Tates, you need bright, beautiful women to contradict that and show that we can take up space," McDaid stated.
Legacy of Joy and Inspiration
Despite the trauma, McDaid draws inspiration from the memory of her pupil's mother, whom she described as a "really happy, beautiful, dancing, gorgeous woman" who shared happiness. This positivity infuses her work, which she says is ultimately about her "love for life."
Sisters With Secrets will be on display at The Pie Factory in Margate until April 20, offering a poignant tribute to women's hidden struggles and enduring spirit.
