Photography Appreciation
Claude Cahun, a prominent figure in photography and Surrealism during the 20th century, made a lasting impact on the art world by passionately exploring gender and sexual identity. Their influence extended significantly after their passing, resonating within the LGBTQ+ community, art historians, and feminists.
Originally named Lucy Schwob, Claude Cahun was born on October 25, 1894, in Nantes, France. Challenging gender norms, they adopted the name Claude Cahun in 1919.
Growing up in an intellectually and artistically stimulating environment, Claude Cahun was exposed to a diverse range of ideas from an early age. They attended the University of Paris, Sorbonne, where, at the age of 18, they began creating photographic self-portraits.
During the early 1920s, Claude Cahun settled with their lifelong partner, Suzanne Malherbe, who took on the pseudonym Marcel Moore. They became step-sisters in 1917 when Cahun's father and Moore's mother married. This partnership led to numerous collaborative works throughout their lives.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Claude Cahun delved into photography and aligned themselves with the Surrealist movement. Their photography often explored the subconscious, pushing the boundaries of reality to unveil hidden truths. Notably, Cahun's work delved into a radical exploration of gender and identity. Through self-portraits, they played with androgyny, defying traditional gender roles and presenting a fluid, multifaceted understanding of the self.
In 1932, Cahun joined the Association des Écrivains et Artistes Révolutionnaires, where they met André Breton and René Crevel. Subsequently, Cahun began associating with the surrealist group and participated in several surrealist exhibitions, including the London International Surrealist Exhibition (New Burlington Gallery) and Exposition surréaliste d'Objets (Charles Ratton Gallery, Paris).
Moore and Cahun's artistic pursuits were deeply intertwined with political activism, including creating and distributing anti-Nazi propaganda. Their unwavering resistance during World War II in German-occupied Jersey, in the English Channel, led to their imprisonment and near execution in 1945. Unfortunately, Cahun's health never fully recovered from their mistreatment in jail, and they passed away in 1954.
Their avant-garde self-portraits challenged androgyny, defying traditional gender norms, and presented a fluid and multifaceted understanding of self. These rebellious self-portraits were a visual form of protest, aiming to disrupt established norms and provoke thought.
Sources:
Wikipedia
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/jan/08/gillian-wearing-claude-cahun-mask-national-portrait-gallery
https://www.anothermag.com/art-photography/7358/claude-cahun-a-very-curious-spirit
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/19/obituaries/claude-cahun-overlooked.html
https://www.artforum.com/events/claude-cahun-2-190686/
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