Questioning of Stereotypes is a personal interpretation of social stereotypes and roles by creating imaginary characters. These personalities are of no existence, still they are familiar to us.
I use my own body to ask annoying questions that concern social stereotypes, patriarchy and gender appearance without sugar coating anything. Every picture is for me a performance in front of the camera, with small kitsch and weird objects being the most important or the biggest part of my theatrical scene which evolves through my photographical scenery.
"I stand in front of the mirror. I only wear a black coat.
I'm holding a camera. I look at me through the ...!
I can see my reflection. I see everything I have done, everything I have thought of, everything I have been. I am baffled with what i managed not to see. I push the trigger. It's a self-portrait. A picture. Is it deceit or madness? No. It's the truth. It's all there. Patriarchy. Rejection. Obsession. Stereotypes. Fear. Anger. Grief. Gender. A mother. A father. You. Me."
What does it mean, being a woman in 2021 in-middle of a pandemic? What is it like to be a woman outside of the Greek stereotypes and conservative standards who has not yet gotten married, and does not yet have children? Cultural and patriarchic codes define, still today how a woman is “complete” only if she feels motherhood through the traditional family-model which only seems like a rope around her neck…
Patriarchy forces in some point in our lives, or sometimes even through all of our lives, to cut out a piece of ourselves or even of our own body, or soul… (Birthing, surgery, family, personality…) As a creator and a woman I try through photography and interpretation, with images and metaphorical messages to cut the umbilical cord and the connection with patriarchy and move anyone who has been scarred by it, no matter the gender, sexual orientation or social status to dare do the same!
The work of Martha Rossler, Cindy Sherman και Francesca Woodman and everything they express and represent were the source of my inspiration and feedback so as to create this series of photographs.
With these pictures I sometimes criticize in a provocative way and other times in an ironical way by indirectly mentioning the old-fashioned opinion and behaviors that society denies constantly to leave behind, starting with the patriarchic model that looks like a huge infection that needs to be cured. Let it be a memory of a “fake” happiness in old photo albums and not as a behavioral motive that is reproduced and applauded.
In the last 4 years there have been 14.000 reports of domestic violence. From 2010 to 2020 according to the official archives of the Greek Police department there have been reported and recorded 1781 cases of rape, 792 attempts with 2.377 female victims and 298 male victims while only 1618 have been solved.
More than 10 rape a day in Greece show statistics
with 1 out of 24 being reported. Almost 4.000 rapes, sex without consent, are
taking place in Greece according to the Greek Police department and the
forensic Investigation department.
Arkitsa Fthiotidos, Greece
35200
© 2024 sofia dalamagka