Carolyn Tripp
Annie and Jessie, 2026
Screenprint on Paper
Framed
Framed
38.8 x 38.8 cm
15 1/4 x 15 1/4 in.
15 1/4 x 15 1/4 in.
Edition of 5 (#1/5)
Annie and Jessie reflects on the remarkable lives of sisters Annie and Jessie Kennedy. Born into poverty and near-anonymity in the early 20th century, with lives that seemed bound for...
Annie and Jessie reflects on the remarkable lives of sisters Annie and Jessie Kennedy. Born into poverty and near-anonymity in the early 20th century, with lives that seemed bound for the workhouse and its narrow horizons, the sisters went on to play vital roles within the Women's Social and Political Union.
The work draws on episodes from their shared story to trace a striking transformation: from social marginality to political significance. Annie and Jessie travelled widely across the world, even reaching revolutionary Russia, much of their journeying undertaken on government business. Their lives reveal both the possibilities and contradictions of the suffrage struggle. Within the WSPU, they achieved a rare equality, valued not for their class or background but for their commitment and capability.
At the heart of the print is the irony of their position: by stepping outside the law and defying society's expectations of how women should behave, they became central figures within the movement. In time, through their wartime service, they moved again - from outsiders to insiders, from militants to participants in the establishment. The artwork commemorates not only their individual courage, but also the complex social and political shifts their lives embodied.
The work draws on episodes from their shared story to trace a striking transformation: from social marginality to political significance. Annie and Jessie travelled widely across the world, even reaching revolutionary Russia, much of their journeying undertaken on government business. Their lives reveal both the possibilities and contradictions of the suffrage struggle. Within the WSPU, they achieved a rare equality, valued not for their class or background but for their commitment and capability.
At the heart of the print is the irony of their position: by stepping outside the law and defying society's expectations of how women should behave, they became central figures within the movement. In time, through their wartime service, they moved again - from outsiders to insiders, from militants to participants in the establishment. The artwork commemorates not only their individual courage, but also the complex social and political shifts their lives embodied.