Featuring women over the age of 50, the series will include 500 photographic nude portraits to capture changing images of women in different ages and stages of life.
“We live in a society swamped with images, where high value is placed on physical appearance and an association between attractiveness and youth, particularly for women,” Ms Hawkes said.
“Flesh after Fifty will explore and challenge negative stereotypes of aging whilst celebrating and promoting positive images of older women through art.”
Following the feminist framework, Ms Hawkes said the exhibition would explore and challenge negative stereotypes of aging whilst celebrating and promoting positive images of older women through art.
“This is the reality,” she said.
“We’re going to give women more confidence about the way they look.”
Ms Hawkes said the way artists portrayed older women often reflected public attitudes.
“Much of the time, images of older women are absent altogether,” she said.
Describing the project as “history in the making”, Ms Hawkes encouraged Shepparton women to participate.
“The photoshoot will take 15 minutes, in which participants have the option to bring an object to conceal their face from the camera to remain anonymous,” she said.
These portraits will be displayed as part of a concluding exhibition Flesh After Fifty: Changing Images of Women in Art presented in March 2020 in Melbourne.
The Shepparton photo session will take place this Saturday, August 10, and Sunday, August 11, at Shepparton Art Museum.
For more information or to sign up, go to www.fleshafterfifty.com
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