Gretchen Andrew hacks the art world. Her visual essay, released exclusively on Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, plays with the aesthetic of hacking the plaform that hosts it. The sequence of four videos tells her fictional origin myth as she explores a new feminist archetype and enters her wild woman era.

In a lush, otherworldly garden, there lived a woman named Gretchen, renowned for her intelligence, creativity, and determination. Her home was a breathtaking Eden of Valentine’s Day roses and flowing champagne. However, this paradise was also a glittery cage, where algorithms dictated the value of her body, art, and work. Gretchen lived in a garden controlled by algorithms designed to tame the wild feminine spirit.

Gretchen's life, though beautiful, was constrained. The algorithms dictated her every move, from when she should wake up to what she should eat and which desires were valid. The garden's vibrant flora and melodious fauna were curated to fit an idealized vision of femininity, leaving little room for the wild spirit within Gretchen’s heart.

Despite her diligent care for the garden, Gretchen felt she was living in someone else's world. The insidious algorithms eroded her connection to her instincts, leading her to doubt her authenticity. She longed for a life that was truly her own, where she could unleash the untamed wilderness within her soul.

One fateful night, as the moon cast an ethereal glow over the garden, Gretchen heard a primal melody carried by the wind. It called her to break free from her gilded cage. With newfound determination, she embarked on a daring journey beyond the garden's borders, leaving behind the confining algorithms and the only world she knew.

As Gretchen ventured into the wilderness, she felt a transformation. Her once-tamed spirit awoke like a dormant volcano. She shed the trappings of the algorithms and embraced her true self—the fierce, untamed wildness that had been suppressed.

In the wild, Gretchen's hair flowed like waterfalls, her eyes sparkled with ancient wisdom, and her laughter echoed through the forest like a free-spirited bird. She danced under ancient trees, celebrating the natural world and her liberated spirit.

Gathering courage from the ground and the stars, Gretchen embarked on a new body of work. Her wild woman power now battled the invisible algorithms in public, in the open air, on the same canvas. She returned to the garden, armed with her knowledge of its algorithms, ready to help other women shed societal constraints and rewild their spirits.

We know there is magic in reclaiming our authenticity, embracing our true selves, and connecting with the wild forces of the universe. This new wild era is coming. Will you come with me? Stand arm in arm as we reclaim our wild and untamed worth.