Liz Miller Kovacs Explores Environmental and Feminist Themes Through Self-Portraits in Extractive Landscapes

Liz Miller Kovacs produces self-portraits set in industrial areas impacted by mining, drawing connections between environmental degradation and the objectification of femininity. Her series, Supernatural, which has been shortlisted for the Aesthetica Art Prize, showcases her in vibrant fabrics against the backdrop of mines and ruins, alluding to classical art while addressing violence against both land and body. Influenced by 1970s female artists such as Ana Mendieta and Judy Chicago, she explores visually compelling extraction sites worldwide, including the Mojave Desert and future sites in Africa and Western Australia. Embracing ecofeminist themes, Kovacs is also developing a companion series called Rare Earth. In 2026, she will serve as an artist-in-residence in Western Australia’s Goldfields for six weeks. The Aesthetica Art Prize exhibition is on display at York Art Gallery until January 25, 2025, with a prize of £10,000.