Allison Wallace

Open Wide

Open Wide takes the predatory nature of the shark from Jaws and humanizes it as a man who is preying on two queer women on the beach just trying to relax. This poster reflects the original Jaws poster, the man’s legs being the border, the space in between his legs as the shark and the two women as the mouth of the shark. This composition shows how men often prey on queer women, either not taking them seriously or viewing them as a punching bag. Having the women be the mouth of the shark displays how they are being preyed upon, but can also be read as being more deadly than men may think. Additionally the infamous tropes Kill your Gays and The Black Character Dies First are reversed in this piece, by having the unsuspecting heroes of this drawing being a black woman part of a lesbian relationship.