Connie
Butler
It was my
great pleasure to serve as a juror for the Women in Photography International
exhibition. As is always true in the situation of juried exhibitions,
I was delighted with the opportunity to be introduced to so much wonderful
work being made by women working in photography worldwide. I was most
impressed by the color work which was broad in its subject and excellent
in technique. In particular, the work of Bravo, Clarke, Sapountzi, Nye
and Sarri was striking. Also represented is some work in which conceptual
liberties were taken or provoked. McLemore's strangely edgy representations
of places of leisure were psychologically charged and beautiful to look
at. The black and white mode is still and always in the work of Brown
and Sartor, haunting pictures of isolation with references to photographers
such as Tina Barney, and the work of Connelly which stretched the limits
of the medium and the abstraction of the subject. More conventional pictures
such as those by Seligman, Drucker, Bogle, Wilson and Pulga were equally
beautiful and articulated quite personal subjects.
I believe we have orchestrated a wonderfully rich body of work and hope
that it inspires dialogue among the community of women photographers represented
by WIPI. Thanks to all who submitted their work for consideration.
Connie
Butler
Curator
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
250 South Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Biographie
Cornelia (Connie) H. Butler
Curator, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles April 2001 - Present,
Associate Curator, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles November
1997 - March 2001 Assistant Curator, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los
Angeles January 1996 - October 1997 Oversees construction of and programming
for Works on Paper Study Center to open in 1998. Organizes exhibitions
and oversees growth of permanent collection in the area of drawings and
photographs. Curator of Contemporary Art, Neuberger Museum of Art, New
York September 1992 - June 1995, Independent March 1992 - September 1992
Curatorial projects for the Bronx Museum of Art, New York; Rubin Spangle
Gallery, New York; Center for Photography, Woodstock, New York. Recent
PANELS AND LECTURES Beaver College Art Gallery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
lecture new installation, 1998. Yale University, lecture on contemporary
photography, 1997. Santa Barbara Museum of Art, lecture, "Drawing
Now," 1996. Whitney Museum of American Art, lecture on Beverly Semmes,
1996
Joyce
Wilson
It was a
pleasure to be invited by Maryanne Charis of HOPA, and Jean Ferro, President
of Women in Photography International to be a juror for this exhibition.
I was intrigued by the name chosen, and found an interesting parallel
in the theme of Women and Tea. The teapot and teacup have this beautiful
roundness of shape that is also very much a part of the female form. Rings,
circles and roundness as symbols are found in prehistoric caves, and in
most cultures including Christianity to symbolize life, birth, love, and
unity in both nature and art. This choice of theme was possibly quite
accidental, but I found it fascinating.
One feels time standing still when viewing many of the images—we
remember a pantry shelf from our childhood, a glimpse of grandmother’s
table and memories of an outing on a warm summer day. Photography gives
us a beautiful language to explore and share stories. Throughout history,
women have been the storytellers, and it is with dignity and grace that
these images tell endless stories. We see the women of other cultures;
heads covered or veiled, and wonder about their lives. In other images,
we experience and relive our own times of solitude, our times of joy,
of sorrow, and of pure ecstasy. The act of creating has always empowered
women? Be it motherhood, the arts or just "being". These women
artists are modern day storytellers with their cameras and they have given
us much to enjoy and ponder.
I never cease to be amazed at the power of photographs, and it was very
apparent during judging that the impact of an image and the ability of
a photograph to tell a story were the ultimate factor. There are three
decades separating my world and that of my colleague, Cornelia Butler.
Cornelia is a young mother and comes from an academic background, and
I already have 9 grandchildren and 40 years of experience as a working
photographer. However, it was an easy task judging together as we had
tremendous respect for those photographs that moved us, and felt were
worthy of a second look. There were many wonderful images to select from
with a variety of styles and artistic approaches, but regardless of technique,
the power of the image and the story determined our selection process.
In recent times, we have witnessed a resurgence of the strength of women,
and the need for mankind to cherish and protect Mother, whether it is
Mother Nature or the human persona of The Mother. Women everywhere are
learning to nourish their souls, to take time to enjoy and be creative—
a cup of tea can provide just that moment of stillness in our busy lives.
This 20th Anniversary Exhibit of Women in Photography International is
certainly a celebration of the spirit of women, and a tribute to the wonderful
artistry of the photographers whose images are represented.
Congratulations for this wonderful Anniversary Exhibition.
Joyce
Wilson
Photographer and Professor, Brooks Institute of Photography,
Santa Barbara,CA
Biographie
Joyce Wilson
Joyce
Wilson is one of today’s premier photographers and has been a sought-after
teacher both nationally and internationally for the past 30 years. Wilson
holds the master of Photography/Craftsman degree from the Professional
Photographers of America and is a Fellow of the American Society of Photographers.
She was awarded an Honorary Master of Science in Photography from Brooks
Institute of Photography in 1984. At the 1999 PPA International Conference
she was honored with the Gerhard Bakker award for outstanding service
through education in photography and visual communication. Wilson has
been featured for several years by Fuji Film and Mamiya, and her portrait
and lifestyle images are represented worldwide. She is world renowned
for her beautiful and sensitive images portraying the human form, and
is part of the permanent collection at the International Photography Hall
of Fame in Oklahoma City. Wilson is currently a faculty member at Brooks
Institute of Photography, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
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