Hi,
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In 2017, I saw the DC Comics movie Wonder Woman at my local independent theater. The screening room was around 80% women. I had an experience I’ve since learned was incredibly common among female viewers of Patty Jenkins’ film. The tears started to flow during the training montage Diana watches on Themyscira, in the film’s opening, and it wasn’t until later that I realized why so many women reacted the same way.
Wonder Woman’s mom leads the troops on Themyscira
The heroes of the stories we see on the big screen from a young age are almost without exception male. Women are sidekicks, supporting characters, damsels in distress. The Avengers can have one woman in their squad; Princess Leia can be the love interest; Hermione is the brainy friend. The magic of Wonder Woman for me was seeing a woman in the main character role of superhero. It’s a paradigm shift that let me fundamentally rethink what kind of stories I can imagine myself in.
I felt the same way visiting the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston this week when I walked into their “Women Take the Floor” exhibit, which features work from women artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Quotes from female writers, artists, and creators on the entry wall
Many rooms in the rest of the museum have no works at all by women, or only a token female artist included. I don’t think I’d fully realized before how unbalanced the collection is. I’m deeply appreciative of “Women Take the Floor” for showing me what is possible.
Here are a few works I loved. You can learn more about the exhibition here, and the MFA is also open for visitors. (For what it’s worth, I felt super safe—the American Wing was relatively empty and we were able to easily socially distance.)
Also, please excuse the picture quality because I took these. :)
Cindy Sherman, Untitled #282, 1993, photograph
Lalla Essaydi, Converging Territories #11, 2003, photograph
I didn’t take a picture of the label for this one and the show isn’t searchable on the MFA site. But zoom in and look how incredible this is—it’s made out of thread!
That’s all for today. Hope you’re having a nice Valentine’s, Galentine’s, and Lunar New Year, and/or Presidents’ Day.
Until next time,
Cordelia