Sophie Chao

Ground Beef considers the realities of destruction often overlooked within violent media, “grounding” iconic and powerful figures rather than depicting them in states of dominance. Painted on individual canvas panels and pieced together through hand-stitched appliqué, the work interweaves imagery of ego, femininity, and toppled figures of power. By depicting each icon equally in a state of lost power, the work disrupts familiar hierarchies of heroism, masculinity, and strength.