Lydia Panas
Lydia Panas
Sleeping Beauty
Hardcover
10 x 12 inches
112 pages
MW Editions
2021
About the Book:
Sleeping Beauty (MW Editions, December 2021) presents award-winning photographer Lydia Panas’ mesmerizing, psychologically charged color portraits of women and girls lying down or half-reclined in lush natural settings, a metaphor for the positions girls and women have been placed in historically. Yet, the women and girls Panas photographed look at the camera and thus the viewer directly, with keen self-awareness. Through the photographer’s lens, their inescapable gazes signal the knowledge that they are working to counter the stereotypical boxes they have been forced into. These women and girls look at us in a way that implies a lack of complicity. In a role reversal from the fairytale, Panas' subjects exude a quiet power. They are wide awake and ready to rise at their own bidding.
In her text, Marina Chao writes about the evolution of Panas' work over nearly 30 years. “Panas creates a collective portrait of psychological womanhood as it is embodied by herself and the sitters and is understood, or misunderstood, by those who view the work. The portraits in Sleeping Beauty are also a collective mirror, reflecting back our feelings towards women, our assumptions and expectations of them. The space of these photographs is more gathered in, protected and intimate, than in the artist’s previous bodies of work and has shifted from their idyllic, pastoral surroundings to being unmistakably Edenic. Panas’ women—Panas herself, all of us—are moving on, moving forward, and reclaiming the Garden.”
Book review by Dana Stirling |
The notion of women being directed in art often carries with it the weight of historical stereotypes and societal expectations that have perpetuated a particular gaze. Traditionally, women in art have been portrayed through a lens that conforms to conventional beauty standards and prescribed norms. However, modern art serves as a powerful commentary on this preconceived gaze, challenging and deconstructing these stereotypes. Contemporary artists have actively engaged with the notion of the female gaze, offering alternative perspectives that dismantle traditional narratives. Through their work, these artists explore the complexities of womanhood, challenging the simplistic and objectifying depictions that have dominated artistic representations in the past. By subverting and reinterpreting the gaze directed towards women, modern art plays a crucial role in fostering a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of femininity, breaking free from the confines of outdated stereotypes. This is exactly what Lydia Panas has tackled in her book “Sleeping Beauty”.
Lydia Panas, in her photographs, skillfully weaves a poetic narrative by drawing on the rich traditions of art and painting from the past while simultaneously grounding her work in the contemporary ethos. Through this compelling book, Panas engages with the timeless theme of female portraiture, reminiscent of historical depictions of women in repose. The title itself invokes the fairy tale motif, adding a layer of enchantment to the composition. Panas captures her subjects with a deliberate nod to classical aesthetics, emphasizing the beauty and vulnerability of the women and girls portrayed. The carefully crafted poses, reminiscent of traditional representations of sleeping figures, evoke a dreamlike quality. Yet, in this artistic homage, Panas introduces a modern twist. By situating these images within the context of the present, she bridges the gap between the classical and the contemporary, inviting viewers to reflect on the evolving role and perception of women in society. Through her photographic lens, Panas creates a dialogue that transcends time, inviting contemplation on the intersection of art, tradition, and the evolving narratives of womanhood.
Images curtesy of the artist
One cannot overlook the symbolic resemblance to the famous painting and tragic story of Ophelia. Much like John Everett Millais' iconic depiction of Shakespeare's Ophelia, Panas's composition captures a serene vulnerability and a sense of surrender. The positioning of the subjects, submerged in water, echoes the ethereal aquatic setting in Millais' masterpiece - Reflecting life, death, and a certain surrender to fate. However, Panas infuses her contemporary piece with a distinct narrative of agency and self-awareness. The subjects in "Sleeping Beauty" exude a quiet strength, offering a departure from Ophelia's passive demise. Panas bridges the temporal gap by reimagining the archetype of the reclining woman, infusing it with a modern context that speaks to resilience and self-possession. The homage to Ophelia becomes a nuanced exploration of femininity, where the echoes of the past intertwine with the agency of the present, creating a visual dialogue that transcends the confines of time and narrative tradition.
What sets her work apart is the striking intimacy created through the gaze of her subjects. The women in Panas's work look directly at the viewer, forging a compelling connection that transcends the confines of the frame. Their direct gaze implies a silent but powerful dialogue, as if engaging in a conversation without words. This choice imparts a sense of agency to the subjects, transforming them from mere objects of observation into active participants in the artistic exchange. In this direct engagement, there's an almost introspective quality—a sense that these women are not merely being observed but are, in fact, engaging with the artist herself. The eye contact suggests a mutual recognition, almost as if they are looking into a mirror, sharing a profound reflection on identity, femininity, and the complexities of the human experience. Through this intentional and reciprocal gaze, Panas elevates her work beyond a mere visual representation, turning it into a dynamic and personal exploration of the interconnectedness between artist and subject.
Images curtesy of the artist
