An exhibition season in celebration of women-led communities.
Graciela Iturbide’s internationally renowned historical work focuses on the indigenous Zapotec people in the town of Juchitán, in southeastern Mexico, where women dominate all aspects of social life, from the economy to religious rituals. In this matriarchal society, diverse gender identities and sexualities are accepted and encouraged.
Anne Helene Gjelstad’s contemporary photo essay Big Heart, Strong Hands, highlights the women’s lives on the small Estonian Islands of Kihnu & Manija, often referred to as the last matriarchal society in Europe. Here the women take care of almost everything on land as their husbands travel the seas for work. Geographically isolated, a strong sense of community spirit and a steadfast attachment to their ancestor’s customs has developed over centuries.
