Francesca Woodman (1958 - 1981) produced a collection of 800 photographs between 1972 and 1981, many of them self-portraits. The artist focuses on the female body, and the feminine subjectivity. Woodman uses objects such as mirrors, flowers or gloves and these are meticulously placed in ruined places and the female body appears, sometimes as a ghostly figure due to photography long exposures. Seems as if the barrier between this world and another has been broken.
Woodman hasn't been recognized as artist while alive, she committed suicide by the age of 22, in 1981 and her work has been introduced to the public in an exhibition, in 1986.
There is a documentary available directed by Scott Willis about Francesca and her family called The Woodmans, here is the link if you want to see the trailer.
If you happen to be in San Francisco, there's a current exhibition in the SFMOMA until the 20th February.
If you are in Portugal you can anxiously wait for them to be shown at Museu Berardo, which owns a few.
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| self portrait at 13 |
