"Do I Measure Up?..."

"Do I Measure Up?..." is in the tradition of visual narrative and the photo novella. The series, whose subjects are body builders, a subset of society, looks closely at the behind-the-scenes world of those who define themselves through their re-built bodies. Though the important themes embedded in the stories are timeless, they have never been timelier. Headlines daily cry out with stories of athletes and ordinary people who alter their natural bodies to achieve acceptance or meet a performance standard. The series draws the curtain on the private lives behind the public masks and brings out into the open the vulnerabilities behind the shows of strength. Art, of course, connects us to ourselves. These images are universal as most of us, at some time, have asked "do I measure up?"

Installation view of "Do I Measure Up?..." in Mannheim, Germany.

The artist produces archival gelatin silver prints for exhibition. Most images from the series measure 11" x 14", but several images are unusually strong at 16" x 20". One of these is 233.1, Stephanie's Wedding, in the collection of SFMOMA. It is on view now at the Blue Room Gallery in San Francisco as seen below. The prints are usually exhibited matted with simple black gallery frames

If desired, exhibition prints may be accompanied by wall text panels (interviews with the subjects about competing/eating disorders, interviews with early greats in the field of body building, or an essay by the artist explaining her creative choices and techniques).

"Do I Measure Up?..." is an outstanding choice for a curator who wishes to introduce his or her viewers to unusual subcultures. It works well, too, for themed exhibitions that address identity, gender, portraiture, self-esteem, body awareness, behind the scenes, illusion and reality, eating disorders, mask and revelation, fitting in, performance and performance anxiety, and body alteration and enhancement. Curators may custom-tailor a story for their constituencies by selecting images that spotlight women, men, on-stage, behind the scenes (including restroom images), private lives.

The artist is available to talk, travel, and assist with installation. Please contact her for inquiries, a prospectus, or further information about installation, costs, or logistics.

Installation view of "Do I Measure Up?..." at the Blue Room Gallery, San Francisco.