Joy Gregory has created a pair of photopolymer etchings especially for Whitechapel Gallery to accompany her exhibition Joy Gregory: Catching Flies with Honey, 8 Oct 2025 – 01 Mar 2026.

Definitely Waving, 2025 and Explosive Barbie, 2025 connect to the artist’s recent series of cyanotypes, entitled 'Barbie the Golden Years'. For her edition Gregory chose two works from the series, recreating them as photopolymer etchings, each in an edition of 30.

The subject of Barbie grew from the artist’s earlier series ‘The Blonde’ with the first iteration being a series of fleeting portraits of the doll which could easily be mistaken for a person; also making a guest appearance in The Girl Thing.
Gregory revisited Barbie, after seeing the film ‘Barbie’ at Peckhamplex Cinema, London - for Gregory, a fabulous place to see the film with the audience fully involved in the event. There were pink frocks, blonde wigs, handbags and heels in abundance inspiring 'Barbie the Golden Years'. Gregory describes always having an uneasy affinity with Barbie as they were born at opposite ends of the same year - with Barbie slightly older.