Virginia de Diego
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(I HAVE NEVER TAKEN SELF-PORTRAITS)
2025
This study explores the logical possibility that the first images of the human figure were made from the point of view of self rather than other and concludes that Upper Paleolithic "Venus" figurines represent ordinary women's views of their own bod- ies. Using photographic simulations of what a modern female sees of herself, it demonstrates that the anatomical omissions and proportional distortions found in Pavlovian, Kostenkian, and Gravettian female figurines occur naturally in autogenous, or self-generated, information. Thus the size, shape, and articula- tion of body parts in early figurines appear to be determined by their relationship to the eyes and the relative effects of foreshort- ening, distance, and occlusion rather than by symbolic distor- tion. Previous theories of function are summarized to provide an interpretive context, and contemporary claims of stylistic hetero- geneity and frequent male representations are examined and found unsubstantiated by a restudy of the originals. As self- portraits of women at different stages of life, these early figurines embodied obstetrical and gynecological information and probably signified an advance in women's self-conscious control over the material conditions of their reproductive live
LeRoy McDermott, “Self-Representation in Upper Paleolithic Female Figurines”, CURRENT ATNTHROPOLOGY, volume 37, Number 2, April 1996
(from VENUS (I have never taken self-portraits))
(from VENUS (I have never taken self-portraits))
(from VENUS (I have never taken self-portraits)
Da representação à auto-representação
curated | Estefânia r. de Silva
organized | Galeria Adorna, MFA Lisboa & Associação CC11
Pavilhões da Mitra (Lisbon, PT)
With works by: Abílio Rodrigues, Alfredo Jaar, Antoine D’Agata, Armanda Vilar, Arnaldo Pedro da Silva, Attilio Fiumarella, Bárbara Fonte, Bruno Boudjelal, Bruno Silva, Celma Santos Silva, Christian Mcmanus, Coco Fronsac, David Trullo, Dick Laurent, Dimitra Dede, Diogo Teles, Dolorés Marat, Estefânia Almeida, Fábio Miguel Roque, Flore Frédérique Jouval, Francisco Varela, Heitor Ariel Olguim, Helena Marques, Isabel Carvalho, Joachim Luxo, João Batista, Juliana Maar, Limamil, Lorena Morin, Luísa Sequeira, Luise Narbo, Manon Dubois, Marco Rocha, Maria Oliveira, Martin Chambi, Michael Ackerman, Michael Corleone, Michele Corleone, Mike Brodie, Miranda July, Mmoreno Monti & Mateo, Nan Goldin, Otto Kunzli, Patricia Lemerdi, Rafal Milach, Renata Siqueira Bueno, Rico Schwartzberg, Rita Roque, Sama, Sarah Moon, Stan Guigui, Stéphane Lagoutte, Teresa Seabra, Tomas Munita, Tranchellini, Veredas, Virginia de Diego and Yorgos Yatromanolakis.
VENUS (I have never taken self-portraits) (installation views) (2025)
Da representação à auto-representação, Pavilhões de Mitra, Lisboa,
Da representação à auto-representação, Pavilhões de Mitra, Lisboa,
VENUS (I have never taken self-portraits) (installation views) (2025)Da representação à auto-representação, Pavilhões de Mitra, Lisboa
curated | Estefânia r. de Silva
Galería Adorna (Porto, PT)
With works by: Bárbara Fonte, Luisa Sequeira, Estefânia r.
VENUS (I have never taken self-portraits) (installation views) (2025)
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VENUS (I have never taken self-portraits) (installation views) (2025)
Parto e Permanência,Galería Adorna, Porto, PT,
Parto e Permanência,Galería Adorna, Porto, PT,