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Nude Exhibit Combats Societal Stereotypes of Women
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 22, 2012) − An exhibition that challenges views of the female body comes to the University of Kentucky as part of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. "The Century Project," presented by University Health Service and the Tuska Center for Contemporary Art, is a chronological series of nude photographic portraits of more than 80 women and girls from the moment of birth to nearly 100 years of age by Frank Cordelle. This free public exhibition will run one week, Feb. 27 to March 2, at the Tuska Center, located in the Fine Arts Building.
More than 80 girls and women of many ages, shapes, sizes and backgrounds bare all in Cordelle’s "The Century Project." The resulting exhibition challenges stereotypical views of the female body, aging and what it means to be a survivor by combining nude portraits with highly personal written statements describing instances of eating disorders, rape, debilitating illness, disfiguring surgeries, distorted social expectations. The show also includes images and reflections of humor and joy.
"The Century Project" hopes to change societal attitudes toward women’s bodies by giving voice to women through pictures and words. Cordelle has worked nearly 25 years amassing the images for his exhibition and a book. The show has exhibited extensively around North America.
Cordelle is a commercial photographer. His clients have included magazines like Life and Newsweek, ad agencies, and companies/organizations producing their own media. Cordelle built and operates a studio in Bennington, N.H., and has traveled widely on assignment around the U.S. as well as Mexico and Guatemala. He now resides in Gresham, Ore.
As part of UK's presentation of "The Century Project," Cordelle will be on hand all week to discuss the exhibition with patrons who visit. Gallery hours for the exhibition are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 27 through March 2. TallyCats credit will be given to students attending the exhibit between 3 and 5 p.m. Thursday, March 1.
In addition to "The Century Project," University Health Service will also present Mirrorless Moments as part of National Eating Disorders Awareness week. As part of the Mirrorless Moments project, mirrors (or portions of mirrors) around campus will be covered in efforts to get folks to focus on inner beauty, and to spend less time thinking about physical features and more time on other qualities that make them who they are. Posters accompanying these mirrors will feature positive body image statements written on them.
National Eating Disorders Awareness (NEDA) Week, presented by the National Eating Disorders Association, works to prevent eating disorders and body image issues while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment. NEDAwareness Week is a collective effort of primary volunteers, including eating disorder professionals, health care providers, students, educators, social workers, and individuals committed to raising awareness of the dangers surrounding eating disorders and the need for early intervention and treatment.
University Health Service is the university's source for student health care. Physicians are board-certified in family practice, internal medicine, women's health, psychiatry and occupational medicine. UK students who pay the health fee may see these clinicians without charge.
The Tuska Center for Contemporary Art (TCCA) was named for late UK faculty member and artist John Regis Tuska. The nonprofit public exhibition venue is dedicated to showing a broad range of contemporary art practices. TCCA is operated and funded by the UK Department of Art in the UK College of Fine Arts. In addition to exhibition hours, the gallery will be open two hours prior to curtain for UK Department of Theatre's March 1 and March 2 performances of "August: Osage County" at the Guignol Theatre.
For more information on "The Century Project," contact Dmitry Strakovsky, director of the Tuska Center for Contemporary Art, at 859-257-1545 or dmitry.strakovsky@uky.edu. Information can also be found online on the gallery's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/Lexington-KY/Tuska-Center-for-Contemporary-Art/95196942735 or at their website at www.uky.edu/FineArts/Art/TCCA.
MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716 or whitney.hale@uky.edu