Research Task: Francesca Woodman
● Look up the work of photographer Francesca Woodman online.
● What evidence can you find for Bright’s analysis?
Bright’s analysis:
“It is difficult not to read Woodman’s many self-portraits – she
produced over five hundred during her short lifetime – as alluding to a
troubled state of mind. She committed suicide at the age of
twenty-two.”
Bright, S. Auto focus: The self-portrait in contemporary photography (2010)
Francesca Woodman (1958–81) explored issues of gender representation and
the use of the female body in her work. Self-portraits dominate her substantial
portfolio, often portraying dark psychological states and disturbing scenes. She
uses her body, locations and props to evoke a sense of surrealism, mystery and
vulnerability.
In Space 2, (Tate, 2019) for example, her body almost disappears into the blur of
movement. This visual strategy recurs in her work and, since her death, has been
interpreted as Woodman using photography both to present herself to the
camera as an exhibitionist and to help herself disappear.
The work of Fransesca Woodman
Her work was in black and white and her body is used in many of the images as can be seen in the slideshow below. Her face is hidden in several images and some with her eyes closed, showing how she is sending a message about her state of mind and her body image.
The derelict house with decaying decor also represents her state of mind. The snake shows her vulnerability and perhaps a message that she was in danger.
Blurred images and a focus on her shadow come through in her work where this perhaps eluded to how she felt, as if she didn’t really exist,or a desire to not exist.
Evidence for Brigh’s Analysis
There are several images I found that Woodman made of the female body and the representation of this in a creative way using props such as wallpaper or a mirror.
Bibliography
Artnet.com. 2020. Francesca Woodman | Artnet. [online] Available at: <http://www.artnet.com/artists/francesca-woodman/> [Accessed 28 August 2020].
Victoria Miro. 2020. Francesca Woodman. [online] Available at: <https://www.victoria-miro.com/artists/7-francesca-woodman/> [Accessed 28 August 2020].
Jenny Stork: Photography 1: Context & Narrative 