NEWARK — The portrayal of girls and women through the lenses of female photographers is explored in the exhibition "In Her Eyes: Women Behind and in Front of the Camera," opening at the Newark Museum on Sept. 12.
Drawn from the Museum’s extensive photography collection, the works in this exhibition range from the mid-twentieth century to contemporary by such well-known artists as Cindy Sherman, Sally Mann, Dorothea Lange, Lalla Essaydi and Ana Mendieta. In these photographs, young girls and women are seen in situations and moments that provide a particular insight into the lives and experiences of women and girls across time and societies. The show also includes snapshots by anonymous photographers that share similar themes to the other identified photographs, and convey the same bonding process that the photographer has with the sitter.
The photographs exhibited are primarily black and white gelatin silver prints, but some color Chromogenic prints are included.
The female subjects represent a range of cultures and contexts, and the images reveal a process of positioning and staging that was negotiated with the photographer. The sitters posed dressed up, partially exposed or completely covered. Some altered their appearance by emphasizing their femininity or by cross-dressing. Others are depicted in their day-to-day lives while in other cases a silhouette becomes a new form of identity.
The level of trust, confidence and integrity demonstrated between artist and subject provides a unique insight into the subjects’ lives. This intimate collaboration evokes notions of veiling, masquerading, role-playing, and identity alterations — elements that strongly resonate throughout this exhibition.
The exhibition is curated by Shlomit Dror, American Art Research Associate, at the Newark Museum and will run through April 2013. For more information, visit the Museum’s Web site, www.NewarkMuseum.org.