Snap Out of It….
Art is not always just about beauty, as many people think, it is also there to create conversation – conversation that is relevant to our social, political and cultural life. Art, according to recorded history, has always depicted the milieu of the times, from cave paintings, through the religious art of papal powers, to the ascendancy of Kings and the aristocracy, onward to the times of the Impressionists who overturned the establishment, and now to our modern times.
So how does art reflect our times? What is going on in today’s world, our world? And what does this have to do with the new photographic exhibit, ‘Snap Out of It’ by Missy Kennedy Cleary? Here is a presentation of individual photographs depicting a group of attractive local Buffalo women who are described as civic leaders – done in a propped and staged way to show them (and us) they are still beautiful as they age. That is the premise, but for some reason the actual photographs bother me.
The photographer’s talent and skills are obvious and the models all look beautiful. Why has it sparked my uncomfortable reaction? Photos like these are seen in magazines, advertisements, and media sources all over the place – we are bombarded. What is it about this exhibit that makes it museum-worthy? This appears to be more like a presentation of a group of friends, playing dress-up, being theatrical and looking good. And yes, it looks fun. Nothing wrong with that – if put in that context. But with a closer look it also seems to promote too many of the ‘isms’ - ageism, sexism, classism and racism – all concepts that I wish were eliminated once and for all. Maybe that is what is disconcerting.
As I thought more about these photos, I began to wonder, isn’t that what our society is all about today – creating (and marketing) an image of a woman (or anything) that is supposed to be really desirable – NOT what she really looks like, but how we can change her and make her desirable – be it by a contrived photo or plastic surgery or any number of other means? Our media is filled with messages pushing to keep us young, super fit, uber-sexy, anything but REAL…The question then arises, is that what is necessary to be considered worthwhile in this world today? Is that what bothers me?
After looking more closely, I noticed the ages of most of the women – only two over 60, one actually only 31 and seven in their 40s. Since when is 40 considered to be so old that one needs to have a glamour shot done to have one good photo of themselves left for posterity, as if what they really look like would be unacceptable? And if the message was really to ‘snap out of it’ regarding how we look as we age, photos of women over 60, into 70, 80 or 90 could have been included. Or are those ages just too much to even make desirable, even with props and photo tricks? What exactly IS our definition of a beautiful woman now and is age a part of it?
The exhibit is also giving tribute to female civic leaders of Buffalo. Really? Are there no women in Buffalo of color that would fit this definition? Buffalo has many female civic leaders – some are African American, some are Hispanic, some are Asian – why is only this small circle of Caucasian women from a particular select social group celebrated?
Might this exhibit better be considered a social documentation of a particular class of women in Buffalo who were addressing their fears about aging and loss of looks? My reaction may also be a response to what appears to me to be representational of the change of society from the old guard, as shown here, to what I believe is a new reality of what our society is struggling to become - transparent, inclusive, equal and democratic. I may have preferred that the exhibit honored the new, rather than put the old on a pedestal, all dressed up and illusory. Perhaps that is where dialogue can begin.
Conversation anyone?
Kate Soudant is a docent at the Burchfield Penney and Albright-Knox Art Gallery.