Dina Goldstein Reimagines Iconic Female Portraits as Social Commentary
Dina Goldstein, a Canadian photographer born in Vancouver in 1969, has introduced 'Mistress Pieces', a collection of ten large-format images that offer a modern critique of famous female portraits from art history. Featured in El País, these works reimagine well-known muses such as da Vinci's Mona Lisa, Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring, Botticelli's Venus, and Warhol's Marilyn Monroe, placing them in the context of current issues like climate change, migration, poverty, and AI. For instance, the Mona Lisa is depicted begging in a wheelchair, while Vermeer's subject is encircled by plastic waste. Other notable figures include Picasso's Dora Maar and Klimt's Adele Bloch-Bauer. Goldstein, previously a photojournalist, challenges the historical male perspective through her staged narratives.
Key facts
- Dina Goldstein created 'Mistress Pieces', ten large-format photographs reimagining famous female portraits.
- The series addresses contemporary issues: climate change, poverty, migration, and AI.
- Portraits reinterpreted include Mona Lisa, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Botticelli's Venus, Warhol's Marilyn, and others.
- The Mona Lisa is shown in a wheelchair begging; Vermeer's girl stands in plastic waste; Botticelli's Venus represents migrant drownings.
- Goldstein's work uses pop surrealism and social critique, following her earlier 'Fallen Princesses' series.
- The series debuted in Spanish newspaper El País.
- Goldstein started as a photojournalist over 30 years ago.
- The photographs are staged with extensive pre- and post-production.
Entities
Artists
- Dina Goldstein
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Johannes Vermeer
- Sandro Botticelli
- Andy Warhol
- Pablo Picasso
- Henri Rousseau
- Jean Fouquet
- Salvador Dalí
- John Singer Sargent
- Gustav Klimt
Institutions
- El País
Locations
- Vancouver
- Canada