Since 2007, microblogging and social networking site Tumblr has provided young women with a platform to express their identity and emotional state through curated images, writings, and multimedia content. Curated by Henrietta Scrine, Soft Edge of the Blade delves into the intricate and often misunderstood world of internet-age girlhood, specifically focusing on the Tumblr Sad Girl aesthetic of the early 2010s.
Tumblr Sad Girl combined elements of vintage and retro imagery, pop culture references, and feminine, often ethereal visuals to create a unique narrative of modern girlhood. Soft Edge of the Blade highlights the artistic beauty of the Sad Girl while also emphasising its importance as a form of emotional expression and cultural critique. Each of the exhibiting artists captures the genre’s balance between vulnerability and resilience, exploring themes of melancholy, introspection, and emotional authenticity.