Autograph London Showcases Laura Aguilar and South American Feminism in 'Our Bodies Have Been Bridges'
The Autograph gallery in London is showcasing an exhibition titled "Our Bodies Have Been Bridges," featuring three artists who delve into South American feminist themes. Coinciding with this event is "Charan Singh: Your Tongue in My Mouth," which centers on Indian transgender communities. A focal point of the exhibit is Laura Aguilar, a Chicana artist whose work emerged in the 1990s, particularly after a transformative trip to New Mexico. Her renowned 1996 creation, "Nature Self-Portrait," is hailed as a trailblazer in intersectional feminist art. Following her initial showcase in 1997, this exhibition represents a significant resurgence of Aguilar's artistic journey.
Key facts
- 'Our Bodies Have Been Bridges' is a three-person headline show at Autograph, London, looking at South American feminism.
- It is displayed alongside 'Charan Singh: Your Tongue in My Mouth,' an intimate study of Indian trans communities.
- Laura Aguilar was living with depression in the 1990s when a friend took her on a road trip to New Mexico.
- Aguilar made nude self-portraits in New Mexico's mystical landscapes, which evolved into a pivotal desert series across the American south-west.
- Her 1996 'Nature Self-Portrait' is considered an early work of intersectional feminist art, before the term entered academic discourse.
- Autograph first worked on an exhibition of Aguilar's in 1997, the year after she made 'Nature Self-Portrait.'
- In the photographs, Aguilar's body sometimes disappears into barren desert landscapes, assimilating shapes of boulders or trees.
- The review highlights riveting portraits and the story of the first woman on Earth.
Entities
Artists
- Laura Aguilar
- Charan Singh
Institutions
- Autograph
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- New Mexico
- United States
- American south-west