A great portrait is more than just a frozen reflection of the subject's appearance. It's a chance moment, blanketed in natural light, in which the subject's authentic self is visible in her expression, her stance, her aura. A great portrait blurs the line between a subject and her surroundings, all contributing equally to the overall impression of a singular human being.
Photographer Barbara Yoshida captured not one great portrait, but 100. And to make it all the more glorious, her subjects are all female artists, groundbreaking in their own right.
Louise Bourgeois, 1911-2010. Photographed 28 February 1992. Sculpture, installation art and painting, France © The Easton Foundation/Licensed by VAGA, NY.
Beginning in 1990, the Portland-born photographer began documenting female artists, ranging from well-known art stars to emerging newcomers, those working in feminist performance, biomorphic sculpture, found object assemblage and West African textiles. Yoshida travelled to destinations around the world, from Tunisia to Gambia, entering these women's studios and homes, incorporating their natural habitats into their very essences.
With each woman, Yoshida would engage in conversation with the artist, discussing details and memories of her life and work. She then, using a 4x5 large format camera and black-and-white film, would snap a particular moment of the interaction, a genuine encounter when the artist's spirit comes to the surface for a split second, a spontaneous moment. Whether it's Louise Bourgeois pointing a finger at the camera, her clenched fist coincidentally mimicking the clamped hand of the statue behind her, or Kim Dingle possessively holding one of her "Priss" statues as if it was her own child, each subject is draped in her life's work -- an extension of herself.
Finally, Yoshida always asks for her subjects' permission before publicly releasing the photographs, believing strongly that every woman should have control over which of her images are spread throughout the world. With a process as respectful as it is revealing, Yoshida documents the pioneering, and all too often under-acknowledged, female artists of our generation. Her trusting and intimate portraits document the inner worlds of the art world's greatest female heroines, some of whom are no longer alive today.
Yoshida's "One Hundred Portraits: Women Artists" will be on view from March 3 through March 27, 2015 at the Salena Gallery at LIU Brooklyn, in honor of Women's History Month. See a preview of the exhibition below and stay tuned for (way) more coverage in honor of our favorite month of the year.
Hannah Wilke, 1940-1993
Copyright ©Barbara Yoshida.
Photographed 21 February 1991, Painting, sculpture,photography, videoand performance,U.S.A.
Judy Chicago, b.1939
Copyright ©Barbara Yoshida.
Photographed 6 July 2012, Installation art, painting and sculpture, U.S.A.
Malado Camara Sidibeh
Copyright ©Barbara Yoshida.
Photographed 22 November 2010, Textiles, TheGambia
Lynda Benglis, b. 1941
Copyright ©Barbara Yoshida.
Photographed November 21, 1991, Sculpture and painting, U.S.A.
Colette
Copyright ©Barbara Yoshida.
Photographed 2 March 2013, Performance and multimedia, Tunisia
Kim Dingle, b.1951
Copyright ©Barbara Yoshida.
Photographed 25 August 1994, Painting,installation art,mixed media,U.S.A.
Julie Heffernan, b. 1956
Copyright ©Barbara Yoshida.
Photographed 29 November 2013. Painting, U.S.A.
Elizabeth Murray, 1940-2007
Copyright ©Barbara Yoshida.
Photographed 29 April 1992. Painting,printmaking anddrawing,U.S.A.
Betye Saar, b.1926
Copyright ©Barbara Yoshida.
Photographed 25 August 1995, Installation art andassemblage,U.S.A.
Louise Bourgeois, 1911-2010
Copyright ©Barbara Yoshida.
Photographed 28 February 1992. Sculpture,installation art and painting, France
© The EastonFoundation/Licensed by VAGA, NY.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.