'Purity' is based on the narrative of women and the perceived need for purity. In some cultures, fairy tales and myths, swans symbolise chastity and beauty, and they are associated with fidelity and loyalty in marriage; lilies can symbolise purity, innocence and rebirth. The piece loads every element with that question: who decides what purity is, and what does it cost the woman it is asked of? It is Gallagher's feminist narrative in its purest form, and once you know the symbolism, the image reads like a story.

Alexandra Gallagher (b. 1980, Greater Manchester) is a British multidisciplinary artist whose practice navigates the boundaries between painting, collage, street art, printmaking and mixed media. Her work operates at the confluence of Surrealism and contemporary feminist discourse, interrogating visual and cultural constructions of femininity through a complex synthesis of symbolic imagery and psychological narrative. She has said: "The inspiration behind my work is our experiences as women in western society... but I didn't want to put something out there that's obvious or brutal, I wanted to create something beautiful out of something ugly, but still give a voice". Her accolades include Saatchi Showdown Surrealism Second Place Winner, Secret Art Prize Runner-Up 2016, London Contemporary Art Prize 2018 finalist, and short listings for the Rise Art Prize and Zealous X.

Edition: 25
Signed: Yes, hand-signed and numbered by the artist
Medium: Giclée on 310gsm 100% cotton rag paper, archival pigment ink
Paper size: 60 × 60cm
Year: 2022
Certificate: Accompanied by certificate of authenticity