Pearl

Pearl, 2024, is 9 in. x 12 in. oil painting on wood panel. Inspired by the camp horror trilogy, X, starring Mia Goth as Maxxxine and Pearl, Avnet painted a portrait of young Pearl. In her origin story, Pearl has desperate dreams of becoming a big star, but the disapproval of her mother, Pearl’s deteriorating mental health, and unforgiving rage holds her back. Avnet wanted to specifically reference the second film’s ending scene, when Pearl’s husband returns from the war. Pearl faces the camera with a forced, unsettling smile, even as the credits roll. Her expression becomes more uncomfortable as her face turns red, and tears stream down her cheeks, revealing a woman still performing for the camera, even in the final moments. Avnet is very interested in exploring rage within female characters and what that anger can look like. Avnet contrasts the red, realistic portrait with the cartoon-like pink hair bows— a nod to the 1940s aesthetic of the film.