"Women and Self-Representation in Contemporary Photographic Art"
Holly Marie Armishaw in Conversation with Susan Bozic, Dina Goldstein, and Birthe Piontek
The purpose of this panel discussion is to focus on women artists who use photography in their contemporary art practice. This is an important topic in a field that has historically been male-dominated, particularly within the Vancouver context. While there are women who have carved their niches in the international history of photography, this discussion hopes to provide fresh perspectives on the local and current situation of women in contemporary art photography.
Some of the most challenging and critically engaging photographic works to be found today amidst major international exhibitions, biennales and art fairs are by women artists who continue to use photography to deal with socio-political identity issues. Many of them explore common threads, negating the traditional representation of women through self-representation, a connection to the performative, and a shift from the objectified portrait, to the abjectified portrait.
Critically exploring the inauthenticity of the idealistic identity or relationship, local women artists pierce the myth of happiness as they express themselves through cynicism projected onto iconic or idealized feminine figures. By socially critiquing notions of fiction, the reality of women's identity and psyche are expressed through the camera. Works to be discussed will be taken from Dina Goldstein’s “Fallen Princesses” and “In the Dollhouse”, Susan Bozic’s “The Dating Portfolio” and “The Dating Portfolio: Playing House”, Birthe Piontek’s “Lying Still”, and Holly Marie Armishaw’s “Silencieux” and the “Marie Antoinette” series.
In a world where we as women often feel that we have very little control, there is something empowering about the ability to create a scene, a character, a plot and an opportunity to exert control through self-representation. For that brief moment in time when the camera shutter clicks a woman is charged with the freedom of self-expression in a proclamation that “I exist”.
Some of the most challenging and critically engaging photographic works to be found today amidst major international exhibitions, biennales and art fairs are by women artists who continue to use photography to deal with socio-political identity issues. Many of them explore common threads, negating the traditional representation of women through self-representation, a connection to the performative, and a shift from the objectified portrait, to the abjectified portrait.
Critically exploring the inauthenticity of the idealistic identity or relationship, local women artists pierce the myth of happiness as they express themselves through cynicism projected onto iconic or idealized feminine figures. By socially critiquing notions of fiction, the reality of women's identity and psyche are expressed through the camera. Works to be discussed will be taken from Dina Goldstein’s “Fallen Princesses” and “In the Dollhouse”, Susan Bozic’s “The Dating Portfolio” and “The Dating Portfolio: Playing House”, Birthe Piontek’s “Lying Still”, and Holly Marie Armishaw’s “Silencieux” and the “Marie Antoinette” series.
In a world where we as women often feel that we have very little control, there is something empowering about the ability to create a scene, a character, a plot and an opportunity to exert control through self-representation. For that brief moment in time when the camera shutter clicks a woman is charged with the freedom of self-expression in a proclamation that “I exist”.
Date: 7:00 pm, April 8th, 2015 at the Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, Canada
Presented by the Contemporary Art Society of Vancouver in partnership with the Capture Photography Festival – Speaker Series and generously hosted in thanks to the Museum of Vancouver.
Video Archives:
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Presented by the Contemporary Art Society of Vancouver in partnership with the Capture Photography Festival – Speaker Series and generously hosted in thanks to the Museum of Vancouver.
Video Archives:
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
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