A portrait doesn’t capture a frigid moment of a person’s life.It captures one’s aura, one’s very essence of life with the help of natural light and the subject’s surroundings resulting to a fine overall image of the person as a simple human being.
Barbara Yoshida managed to capture 100 such portraits of female artists each one innovative and revolutionary.
The photographer started in the beginning of 1990 documenting women from all around the world (From Tynisia to Gambia).She captured well known art stars, newcomers, feminist performers ,those working in biomorphic sculpture, found object assemblage and West African textiles.All of them in their own homes and privacy.Their habitat.
The way she worked with them is amazing. First she would engage in a conversation with the artists,making them feel more relaxed, discussing their lives and work.Then she would take a shot spontaneously, depicting the real side of each woman making her portraits and the meeting more original and genuine. From Louise Bourgeois pointing her finger at the camera,with her fist mimicking the hand of the statue in her background to Kim Diggle who is holding one of her creations “Priss” statues tight as if it were her own child,the photographer manages to capture the moment artistically revealing an extension of her subjects’ self.
And because of the fact that Yoshida believes in the right of every woman to control her images which could be spread all around the world, the first thing she does is to ask for their permission before she finally publishes any of the artists’ images. Everything is done respectfully for the innovative and sometimes not so acknowledged female artists.
The intimate portraits reveal some of the world’s greatest artists, some of whom are not with us today.
Take a peek of some of her work.