On a Friday night I was a bit surprised to find absolutely no one else in the Bokeh Gallery (located inside monOrchid in downtown Phoenix).
The exhibit may be black and white, but the commentary it produces is highly colorful. Photo by Alexandria ConradThe current exhibit in the Bokeh Gallery is David Miller’s “Scream Queens,” a modern black and white photo series of women portraying the stereotypical role of the female in film.
This gallery also contained a chalk wall. I love those things! And in case you’re wonder, yes I left my mark on it. Photo by Alexandria ConradDavid Miller, who got his bachelor’s degree in Photography from ASU, said of his exhibit in the monOrchid exhibit description, “Playing with these tropes is good fun and shorthand for commonly understood cultural references — femme fatales, damsels in distress, good girls and vamps etc. — but presented knowingly, the ludicrousness of them is apparent.”
The photographs, while void of color, really pop because of the beautiful women in classically sexy poses. They also follow the classic style of pop art, as each photo is comprised of tons of small dots.
David Miller’s piece, The Horrible Hall of Mirrors, may cause disorientation. Beware. Photo by Alexandria Conrad
The tiny dots are only apparent when you get close enough to the photograph, but I think they add real depth. Photo by Alexandria ConradThe best photographs of the exhibit (in my opinion, of course) were:
Angles of Death
This piece pokes a bit of fun at the vulnerability of women in old cinema. The woman is portrayed naked in the bathtub, leaving her especially exposed with nowhere to go.
Angels of Death. Don’t have nightmares kids, it’s just a photograph. Photo by Alexandria Conrad…and Assassin Queen
This piece is a bit more empowering for women in that it shows the female in a position of power, as the assassin. However, the ludicrousness shines through the “assassin’s” apparel and appearance: lingerie, big hair, and heavy makeup.
Assassin Queen portrays a very unique image . . . a woman in power. *Gasp*! Photo by Alexandria Conrad“It’s clear that many of these stereotypical portrayals of women still exist in modern cinema, and the best way to defang a negative element in society is to use humor,” says Miller in the exhibit description.
I was drawn to this exhibit because I had recently come to this realization myself while watching Rosemary’s Baby. If you’re not familiar with the film, I’ll try not to spoil anything (because you should really watch it), but much of the film is based upon the assumed stupidity or ignorance of the main female character, Rosemary.
I realized how often, especially in horror films, the storyline is dependent on the dismissal of women as foolish.
I thought it would be interesting to see how Miller used his modern pop culture references to portray a similar message, and prompt those who view his work to consider the way women are viewed, not only in cinema, but in society as well.
The photo series will be on exhibit for the final time on Friday, April 19. The exhibit is free, so go check it out if you’re interested. If you’re interested, but not that interested, the photos are on his website. I even made it easy for you, they’re right here. Enjoy!
If you’d like to reach me with comments, concerns or suggestions you can email me at anconrad13@gmail.com or tweet me @alliectersely
