EXHIBITION: Girl Town (Celebrating the Culture of the Female in the 21st Century)
7th October – 1st November 2016
Daily from 10am-6pm.
St Margaret’s House, 21 Old Ford Road, Bethnal Green, London, E2 9PL
Nearest tube: Bethnal Green
Free admission.
A selected exhibition of photography celebrating the culture of the female in the 21st Century.
Curated by Shutter Hub and the Old Girls Club through the open entry Instagram call out #girltownPM, a shortlist of the most relevant and significant entries will be exhibited in the East London gallery space of St Margaret’s House.
These are my entries for the Girl Town show. The first 3 were shortlisted and exhibited.
"I grew up in the heavy metal/rock/alternative culture. When I think “what it means to be a woman in the 21st century,” these are the women I think of first. Women who aren’t afraid to be who they are, aren’t afraid to express themselves, can thrive and survive in a testosterone soaked male dominated culture. These women are feminine, beautiful, bold, and can kick total ass. They are upheld in a male culture to where they are respected and revered. That is a 21st century woman; see me and hear me."
Have you ever stopped, looked at your make-up, tired of the game to constantly make yourself perfect? Frustrated & bored, you wonder...what would this look like if I just smeared it all over my face?
No? ....ya me neither.
5’2” German vocalist, Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy, is probably one the most respected women in metal. Not only can she make death growls, but the mezzo-soprano can growl better than most male vocalists. For such a small woman, she commands presence like nothing I have ever seen. Angela radiates roaring 21st century.
5’2” German vocalist, Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy, is probably one the most respected women in metal. Not only can she make death growls, but the mezzo-soprano can growl better than most male vocalists. For such a small woman, she commands presence like nothing I have ever seen. Angela radiates roaring 21st century.
While shooting on the Sounds of the Underground tour, my boss at the magazine wanted a model shot with every band. This has never sat well with me and never agreed with it or understood why a woman wanted another woman portrayed as objects for her magazine. I teamed up with my good friend and gorgeous alternative model, Gashley Darcane, for this leg of the tour. During this particular shoot with the Gwar Slaves, I wanted to put Gashley in a position of power. The guys are always good fun and let her crawl on top with a prop axe from their show. I let everyone continuously jump around while I tried different shots and this is my absolute favorite. The composition is fantastic, almost Mannerist, and I have put the woman in control of the scene while still conveying sexuality and not showing too much of her body. I love this one.
Ammunition is a well-known fire entertainer in the Chicago area. Whenever she preforms, people flock to watch her dance with flames… or swallow them. She is gorgeous, sexy and strong.
Vas Kallas from Hanzel und Gretyl is one of my favorite women in the rock & metal world. She was the first “strong” woman I had ever photographed and I have always looked up to her. She controls the stage and shoves her music down your throat.
Shooting with bands & musicians since 2001.
Shots are done in studio, on location and live on tour.
Images have been used for a variety of outlets such as print & online articles, album covers, picture discs and tour merchandise.
Captured in film & digital.
Portraits that have been shot on medium & large format film.
Atop a hill in south Liverpool lies Woolton Hall, a Grade I listed building. Built in 1704, Woolton Hall has had many lives: a family home & manor house, hotel, convent & school and finally an events venue.
For the last decade the house has attracted attention and posed problems. Abandoned and slowly decaying, television crews carelessly use it as a backdrop, urban explorers continue to gain access, and developers try to exploit it. Unsure how to care for the Graded building, it’s spent beauty lies under the dust.
Water forces it’s way in from the roof, and mushrooms through the walls, but Woolton Hall still stands tall...with the help of a few people.
This is a record of my time in Woolton Hall, a building that is listed, but now lost.
Shot on 4x5 film.
Titled "Fruit of Thy Womb," this series encapsulates a profound journey, intertwining the physical and emotional landscape of my experience grappling with painful ovarian cysts since the tender age of 14. The agonizing ruptures, once immobilizing me in restless discomfort, led me to a precarious reliance on hormone therapy, a temporary respite that left me uneasy about its prolonged use.
Living in London in my 30s marked a turning point when an extended break from the pill resulted in numerous ruptures, revealing a dire need for surgery. However, the NHS's bureaucratic hurdles and perpetual delays prompted a return to the United States for a timelier resolution. With a surreal urgency, my trusted OBGYN unveiled the potential malignancy of the cyst, pushing me to face a choice: a traditional, invasive surgery or a cutting-edge robotic procedure under an oncological OBGYN.
Post-robotic surgery, the weighty reality of the ordeal became evident as the monstrous cyst, akin to a large grapefruit, was removed, accompanied by the loss of my left ovary and a stark reminder of my diminishing fertility. Forced to confront the ticking clock of Mother Nature, decisions about family planning loomed large and were made with an urgency imposed by unforeseen circumstances.
The aftermath of surgery altered my perception of the ordinary, turning a simple grapefruit into a symbolic representation of a demonic ovary-eating monster. Groceries became a haunting yet contemplative experience, as I held and stared at these fruits, now imbued with profound meaning.
A month post-surgery, a miraculous pregnancy unfolded, illuminating the series with renewed hope. As the pain receded with the removal of the cyst, the symbolism of fruit persisted, transforming each week of the pregnancy into a unique fruit analogy. Holding these fruits in the store became a ritual, a meditation on their size and weight, and a reflection on the marvel of the human body's capacity to adapt, making room for the growth of these sweet, fleshy metaphors of life.
All images copyright Michelle Margaux. All rights reserved.
Captured in digital.
All images copyright Michelle Margaux. All rights reserved.
Tabletop images used for editorial and advertising. Shot on 4x5 film and digital in small, and medium format.
All images copyright Michelle Margaux. All rights reserved.
