Alba Zari's 'Fear of Mirrors' Explores Female Image and Patriarchy at Pastificio Cerere

The exhibition 'FEAR OF MIRRORS' by Alba Zari (b. 1987, Bangkok) is on view at Pastificio Cerere in Rome, curated by Francesco Rombaldi. The project, developed over two years during a residency within the European project Intergalactica, investigates female self-representation and patriarchal beauty standards. Zari, a photographer, began by questioning how she feels represented in media. The exhibition is structured in three parts: scans of objectified female bodies, an anthropological web exploration of changing perceptions of the female body from Venus to today, and an AI-generated 'ideal girlfriend' embodying dominant stereotypes. Zari notes that today's paradox is women's unconsciousness of manipulation, as the smartphone has replaced the mirror. She believes cultural change must come from men. The show travels to Mu hybrid art house in the Netherlands on July 18, 2025. Zari also presented works at Careof on June 10 as a finalist for the Premio Mila per la Fotografia Contemporanea. The book 'Fear of Mirrors' was published by Yogurt Editions.