Silver Girls Retouched History of Baltic Photography Unveiled in National Gallery of Art's Spring Season Exhibition
Fearless Frames: Unveiling the Untold Story of Baltic Photography's S──────HEADER: Unearthing the Hidden Heroines of the Lens
On the 28th of March, 6:00 PM sharp, the groundbreaking spring season exhibition 'Fearless Frames: Unveiling the Untold Story of Baltic Photography's S───────BODY:
Brace yourselves, photography enthusiasts! At the National Gallery of Art (22 Konstitucijos Ave, Vilnius), we're about to unlock a secret chapter in the realm of female photography from the first half of the 20th century. This stunning exhibition will shed light on a neglected yet crucial aspect of our visual history, the 'Silver Girls.' Hailing from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, these dynamic women photographers have remained on the margins of history, overshadowed by their male counterparts.
Why the hide and seek, you ask? Let's dive a tad deeper into the shadows.
Historically, women's accomplishments across various fields were swept under the rug, often unacknowledged or undervalued. In photography, this too was the norm. Female photographers struggled to have their masterpieces showcased due to limited access to resources, training, and opportunities that their male peers enjoyed. Add to that societal biases and stereotypes that pushed women into the background, focusing more on their roles as wives and mothers than as skilled photographers.
But fear not! This exhibition is here to flaunt the forgotten fabulousness!
Curators Šelda Puķīte, Agnė Narušytė, and Indrek Grigor have dug up twenty-one glorious 'Silver Girls' who not only captured everyday life but also produced portraits of exceptional technical and artistic quality. These include names likeVeronika Šleivytė, Paulina Mongirdaitė, and Zinaida Bliumentalienė in Lithuania, Lūcija Alutis-Kreicberga and Marta Pļaviņa in Latvia, Olga Dietze and Hilja Riet in Estonia, to name a few. These ladies have remained hidden in the annals of time, their contributions only now about to be celebrated.
Just a heads up, this is not your ordinary run-of-the-mill exhibition.
To make this exploration even more intriguing, contemporary artists Marge Monko, Diāna Tamane, and Goda Palekaitė will engage in acreative dialogue with these early women photographers. On the opening day, Palekaitė will present a mesmerizing performance, Lunar Sisterhood, that blends the magical allure of the full moon with the spirits of the Silver Girls. Meanwhile, Monko's video Sheer Indulgence will delve into the seductive yet oppressive realm of commercial imagery, while Tamane's series Flower Smuggler will pay tribute to her grandmother's photo albums with a touch of autobiographical sentiment.
Now, let's clear up the cloud of mystique surrounding these women.
Through a dialogue with contemporary artists from the same region and by linking different historical periods, artistic practices, and themes, these early photographers will take their place in a broader narrative of photographic development. By shedding light on these often overlooked or undervalued artists, the exhibition invites us to revisit our shared history through a fresh lens and appreciate the significant impact these women have had on visual culture.
Stay tuned, art aficionados!
A press conference with curators Šelda Puķīte, Agnė Narušytė, and Indrek Grigor will take place on the 28th of March, 11:00 am at the National Gallery of Art. On Saturday the 29th of March, 3:00 pm, you'll have a chance to meet contemporary artists Marge Monko, Goda Palekaitė, and Diāna Tamane at the exhibition space. And on Sunday the 30th of March, 3:00 pm, the curators will guide a tour of the exhibition. The exhibition will run until the 15th of June.
Remember, History is not just about white-bearded men!
The 'Fearless Frames' project originally took place at the Tartu Art Museum in 2020, where it included selected works by ten early women photographers from Estonia and Latvia, paired with works by contemporary European artists. For this Vilnius exhibition, the content has been substantially supplemented by seven early Lithuanian photographers, expanding the exhibition and giving viewers a deeper insight into this crucial aspect of our often intertwined and sometimes even shared history.
The 'Silver Girls' roster:
- Early women photographers from Estonia: Olga Dietze, Helene Fendt, Emilie Johanson, Anna Kukk, Marie Keerd, Hilja Riet, Lydia Tarem
- Early women photographers from Latvia: Lūcija Alutis-Kreicberga, Antonija Heniņa, Minna Kaktiņa, Emīlija Mergupe, Marta Pļaviņa, Emīlija Raguel-Lācīte, Ērika Zariņa
- Early women photographers from Lithuania: Zinaida Bliumentalienė, Aleksandra Jurašaitytė, Antanina Laucienė, Paulina Mongirdaitė, Veronika S̆leivytė, Domicelė Tarabildaitė-Tarabildienė, Jadvyga Vaitaitienė-Markevičiūtė
- Contemporary artists: Marge Monko (Estonia), Diāna Tamane (Latvia), Goda Palekaitė (Lithuania)
Organiser: National Gallery of Art / Lithuanian National Museum of ArtExhibition architects: Mindaugas Reklaitis, Kristijonas NenartavičiusGraphic designer: Aleksandra SamuļenkovaProducing designer: Ugne BalčiūnaitėProject funded by: Culture Ministry of the Republic of Lithuania, Lithuanian Council for Culture, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia, VV Foundation. Project partners: Tartu Art Museum, Wunder Kombinat, NoRoutine Books. Sponsors: Fundermax, publishing house 'Lapas'. Information partner: LRT
- The exhibition 'Fearless Frames' showcases the artistic and technical prowess of twenty-one 'Silver Girls,' a group of female photographers from the first half of the 20th century, whose works, often overlooked or undervalued, are now on display in the National Gallery of Art, making a significant impact on the history of home-and-garden lifestyle photography, as well as the broader narrative of photographic development in the Baltic region.
- In addition to traditional photography, contemporary artists Marge Monko, Diāna Tamane, and Goda Palekaitė will engage in a creative dialogue with these early women photographers, showcasing the evolution of the culture and lifestyle through their works, blending history, artistic practices, and themes, and providing a fresh perspective on the shared history of the region.
