Raphaela Stella Leys "Hidden Clauses"

Raphaela Stella Leys (Austria)

Hidden Clauses
Archival Pigment Print on Hahnemühle FineArt Baryta Paper
8" x 12" (plus black frame)
ready to hang
*Available in-house at Ghost Gallery, available for local pickup or shipping

"In Hidden Clauses, a bridal veil is overlaid with the legal text of the historical marital rape exemption, transforming a symbol of love and commitment into a physical reminder of the laws that once denied women’s bodily autonomy. The Small Print extends this idea through a wedding dress whose care label exposes the hidden conditions, power structures, and unspoken expectations that have historically accompanied the institution of marriage.
Together, the works mourn not only individual suffering but also the loss of dignity, autonomy, and trust caused by systems that failed to protect those they claimed to serve."
Learn more about Raphaela HERE