Francesca Woodman was an American photographer based in New York, Rhode Island, and Italy. Woodman’s photography, spanning roughly from 1974 to 1981, was influenced by Surrealist and Futurist artists that Woodman studied at the Rhode Island College of Design as well as in Italy, where she spent significant portions of her life. One notable influence on her work is the work of Man Ray, which can be observed in the subjects of Woodman’s photography. Despite the brevity of her career, Woodman created over 800 prints, the majority untitled. Most of her works feature female models, she herself being the subject of many of her photographs. The body is experimented upon and played with. Her style of photography is blurry, at times bizarre and uncomfortable. The use of black and white in her photography contributes to a sense that the viewer is suspended in time. This is aided by the fact that the photographs are set in Woodman’s own apartment, with very few objects occupying the space.

Woodman’s early death by suicide in 1981 has had an influence on critical analysis of her work. The focus on the female body in Woodman’s work has encouraged critics to paint Woodman as a feminist artist who was tortured by the idea of rejection. This analysis of Woodman’s work, while valid, perhaps falls into the trap of reading the artist in hindsight. By knowing the facts surrounding Woodman’s suicide, it is easy to treat everything in her life as hurtling toward a final fate. In reality, her work is multidimensional and complex, including themes of humour and curiosity alongside philosophical musings. Her work is a reminder of the possibilities of youth, of constantly asking questions and trying new things. Although Woodman’s photography is not completely unique, it is innovative and provocative. Woodman’s work manages to not take itself too seriously while simultaneously engaging in relevant discourse around physicality and human existence

The disappearing self, The Irish Times, 19 May 2001.

Dublin Review, Circa Magazine, Autumn 2001.

This link will take you to one of the installation images at the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain exhibition.

This link will take you to a short documentary (24 min – Portuguese) from the exhibition at Centro Cultural de Belém, Lisbon.