"New Work," an exhibition of photographs by Ellie Brown, will open at the Clinton House Artspace on April 6.
Brown, a photographer and IC lecturer in cinema and photography, will be showing her work about pre-adolescent girls in their quest for identity through May 7. Clinton House is located at 116 North Cayuga Street. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 3:00-5:30 p.m.
About the Work
Ellie Brown's photographs come from an intense examination of her middle school experiences and questions why this time in life of identity development is so difficult for girls. She has depicted her sisters, cousins, and other girls in her life during moments of solitude and group interaction as they sift through clues and conflicting messages of how they may fit into desirable groups, and ultimately, their own skin.
Brown's photographs contemplate relationships and the role they play in defining a girl's identity. As a girl "tries on" different personalities and ways of interacting, she looks to her peers to validate these experiments. She looks to form relationships that reflect the positive traits she hopes to project about herself. If a friend or group ceases to make a girl look good, the relationship is severed.
Brown is concerned that a girl's sense of worth is not defined by her achievements, but by acceptance from the group, compliments on her looks and fashion choices, and validation from the opposite sex. She asks how can we teach girls to be strong and genuinely supportive of one another? How can these pressures be alleviated so that they learn value of their achievements as opposed to acceptance? Brown strives to help girls through this challenging time, and make changes wherever she can. "When I feel that all of these issues and questions are answered, my work will no longer be valid."
About the Artist
Ellie Brown is a native of Boston, Massachusetts, where she received her B.F.A. in photography from Massachusetts College of Art. There she began her current project -- photographing girls in their quest for identity in a complicated media driven culture. In 2002 she received her M.F.A. in photography from San Jose State University. Since 1997, Brown has exhibited extensively nationally and internationally. Her work has been recognized by Women in Photography International, and the National Alliance for Excellence, and has been published in Photofile magazine, JANE magazine, and the San Jose Mercury News among others. In 2002 she was honored with as an artist in residence at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, with renowned photographer Graciela Iturbide. Currently she is teaching photography at Ithaca College, showing work in multiple states, and volunteering with local girls' groups.
Contributed by Ellie Brown
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20040411160021811