Bold and beautiful

Body image is deeply personal and incredibly complex. Cultural, social and environmental influences can play a huge part in the way we view and accept ourselves.

The era we live in, and trends of the time, naturally influence the perceptions and ideals of society.

These can impact mental and physical health – from everyday habits, including eating and exercise, that can sometimes lead to serious consequences.

Representation – through media and art, for example – can influence society in significant ways, without conscious awareness.

It is this representation; this awareness and acceptance that makes a new exhibition at Horsham Regional Art Gallery so unique.

The exhibition, ‘500 Strong’, shows black-andwhite portraits of 465 women aged 50 and older – some of whom live in the Wimmera – completely naked.

Choosing anonymity, many opted to cover their face with a prop while others have their back to the camera. There are also a number of photographs of women showing their face.

The exhibition is confronting – and it’s meant to be.

It challenges us to consider our biases and the behaviour and representation of ‘older women’ in art and society.

But the exhibition is also breathtakingly beautiful.

There’s no shying away from ‘what real women look like’ – different sizes and shapes, the scars of pregnancy and of caesarean births, physical health and injury, ageing and the list goes on.

Social media is ever-so-slowly evolving to remove filters, editing and the portrayal of particular genders, ages and body types deemed ‘most appealing’.

Health officials are learning more about the negative impacts of these depictions and society is calling it out.

It’s why celebrities such as model Nyome Nicholas-williams or comedian Celeste Barber have gained such an emphatic following – they represent body types less commonly celebrated on social media and within society. And why not.

Bravo and thankyou to the women of 500 Strong, and those who have brought it to our region.

The choice you have made will encourage people of all ages and stages to recognise the beauty and power of all bodies. • The exhibition can be seen at Horsham Regional Art Gallery, in Wilson Street, daily from 10am to 4pm; its official opening is on February 5.