We support a ceasefire in Palestine

Laurie says:

Masculine- Feminine is an international exhibition open from April 4 to April 30, 2024, at the PH21 Gallery in Budapest. The curators are Zsolt Bátori and Borbála Jász.

Portrayals of femininity and masculinity are, without a doubt, central to numerous art forms, with photography being no exception. The past few decades have sparked often heated discussions and criticisms of past, recent, and current photographic practices due to their lack of reflection on the assumptions, stereotypes, and prejudices surrounding approaches to femininity and masculinity. Both fine art and commercial works have been critiqued for the potential consequences of their approach and presentation. Historically, femininity and masculinity have been conceived as oppositions, complements to each other, or positions on a continuum, among other perspectives. There are scarcely any ways of portraying femininity and masculinity that would not be considered trivial, conservative, pretentious, demeaning, distasteful, clichéd, or even offensive by some. It often seems that everything has been said and photographed on this subject; however, it is impossible to ignore the persistence of the theme in our contemporary visual culture. What can we still value and possibly revive from the rich history of photography? Are there any novel ways left to approach this subject with a fresh critical eye? –Zsolt Bátori

Given the topic, I could not resist submitting photographs from Women En Large and Familiar Men. To see all the exhibition photos, go here.

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