Photography, A Feminist History

Gender Rights and Gender Roles on Both Sides of the Camera
BY EMMA LEWIS

This feminist retelling of the history of photography puts women in the picture—and, more importantly, behind the camera! 

In ten thematic, chronological sections, Tate Modern curator Emma Lewis explores the vital role women artists have played in shaping the ever-evolving medium of photography. Lewis has compiled work from more than 200 different women and nonbinary photographers along with short essays on 75 different artists, many informed by her interviews with the subjects. From the studio portraiture of the late nineteenth century to the photojournalism of Dorothea Lange and Lee Miller in the early twentieth—and from second-wave feminist critiques of gender roles to contemporary selfies and social media personae—this volume examines different genres, styles, and approaches to photography from the 1800s to the present.

UNPARALLELED IN SCOPE: International, inclusive, and intersectional, this comprehensive volume tells the story of a versatile and innovative medium. From early-twentieth-century self-portraits responding to modernity and changing notions of womanhood, to photojournalistic images documenting the climate crisis, the photographs in this book demonstrate the varied ways that women respond to and shape the global cultural landscape. The artists profiled here include:

• Sheila Pree Bright
• Imogen Cunningham
• Paz Errázuriz
• Nan Goldin
• Kati Horna
• Mari Katayama
• Dora Maar
• Lee Miller
• Tina Modotti
• Zanele Muholi
• Shirin Neshat
• Cindy Sherman
• Lieko Shiga
• Lorna Simpson
• Amalia Ulman
• And more!

INSIGHTFULLY ORGANIZED: The thematic chapters of this project showcase photography's changing role in society and art. They allow the author to explore and contextualize how this role has (or hasn't) made space for women and people of marginalized genders, and how the work done on the margins of the medium pushes the boundaries of technology and creative expression. This is not simply a collection of "women photographers"—it's a book about how and why women and nonbinary artists have used photography to respond to and shape their own realities.

Perfect for:
• Photographers, artists, and students, and art lovers
• Anyone interested in the history of photography
• Intersectional feminists
• Trailblazing women—and the people who love and support them!