Born in she was a genderqueer pioneer, jewish nazi fighter, and radical collage artist. Claude cahun was the initial inspiration of dnjs recent exhibition, claude cahun and after. Calude cahun is buried in st brelades church with her partner suzanne malherbe. Claude cahun 25 october 1894 8 december 1954, born lucy renee mathilde schwob, was a french photographer, sculptor and writer schwob adopted the genderambiguous name claude cahun in 1917 and is best known for selfportraits, in which they assumed a variety of personae. She began making photographic selfportraits as early as 1912, when she was 18 years old, and she continued taking images of herself through the 1930s. Claude cahun, autoportrait, claude cahun oct 1894 dec french artist, photographer and writer. She is known for her selfportraits that portray her as ambiguously. Claude cahun france, 1928 claude cahun was a french artist, photographer and writer. See more ideas about nan goldin photography, lgbt history and stonewall riots.
Claude cahun french writer, photographer, surrealist, and. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. Gillian wearing and claude cahun princeton university press. Claude cahuns name might not be well known, but their work as an artist has been hugely influential in the lives of many western pop culture icons david bowie, for example. Site last updated december 2011 visits since 11 july 2007 visits since 11 july 2007. Claude cahun, 1927courtesy of jersey heritage collections. This is one of a group of images cahun created in 1936 to illustrate a book of. Claude cahun artwork for sale at online auction claude.
Autoportrait, 1928, by claude cahun courtesy of the jersey heritage collections to take this photograph, cahun stood with the shutter release hidden in her collar. I bought this just for the photographs and because it was the most affordable book of her work available. This includes personalizing content and advertising. Different than cahuns idea to focus on the face and facial features, shermans focal point here is the body the nude, slightly covered body. Aug 18, 2017 claude cahun 25 october 1894 8 december 1954 was a french artist, photographer and writer. Woodmans practice was appreciated only postmortem however, with the first exhibitions of her photography organized in the mid1980s. Claude cahun created some of the most startlingly original and enigmatic photographic images of the twentieth century. A painters reflective and reflected photographic portraits. She is best known for her selfportraits in which she assumes a variety of personas, including dandy, weight lifter, aviator, and doll.
Self portrait, 1928 is a surrealist photography photographic print created by claude. In this striking photograph, the artist has further transitioned from her childhoodteenage identity of lucy schwob to the genderneutral persona of claude cahun. Claude cahun and marcel moore jersey holds the worlds leading collection of work by surrealist claude cahun and avantgarde artist marcel moore, two enigmatic french stepsisters who lived and worked here from the 1930s. Claude cahun, autoportrait, 1929, tirage argentique, 23.
Only a portion of sfmomas collection is currently online, and the. We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. Behind the mask, another mask 9 march 29 may 2017 draws together over 100 works by french artist claude cahun 18941954 and british contemporary artist gillian wearing b. Reproductions of the original photomontages introduce the various sections, which in turn explore cahuns distinctive ideas and obsessionsselfinterrogation, narcissism, metamorphosis, love, genderswitching, humor, fear.
Claude cahuns autoportraits and the process of gender identification. Claude cahun, french writer, photographer, surrealist, and performance artist who was largely written out of art history until the late 1980s, when her photographs were included in an exhibition of surrealist photography in 1986. Indeed henris work reminded me of the selfrepresentations of claude cahun. Claude cahun nee lucy schwob autoportrait, 1929 phillips. He was a significant contributor to the dada and surrealist movements, although his ties to each were informal. While they were born 70 years apart, they share similar themes of gender, identity, masquerade and performance. How the women of surrealism went from muses to masters. The artists selfportrait from 1928 epitomizes her attitude and style, as she. At times, she dresses up as a man and she comes up in a multiple array of personnages. Both cahun and barnes simulate the female hysteric in order to call attention to the way that this image has been shaped and constructed in surrealist social texts as an idea that has no original truth. She also recorded short clips featuring her own body and face on video camera and created several artists books. Upping the anti in claude cahun and marcel moores collaborative self portraits by amber smith september 1, 2008 a thesis submitted to the faculty of the graduate school of. Claude cahun 25 october 1894 8 december 1954, born lucy renee mathilde schwob, was a french photographer, sculptor and writer schwob adopted the genderambiguous name claude cahun in 1917 and is best known for selfportraits, in which they assumed a variety of personae cahun s work was both political and personal, and often undermined traditional concepts of static gender roles.
In autoportrait 95, cahun stages the presentation of her body as it. You may never have heard of her but her work has never been more relevant, writes aindrea emelife. Fig 1 fashion illustration 1916 by marcel moore watercolour jht2003120. Claude cahun artwork for sale claude cahun art value price. The french photographers self portraits claude cahun, autoportrait, 1927, blackandwhite photograph, 7 x 5. We go under the many skins of genderdefying surrealist claude cahun. Me as cahun holding a mask of my face is a reconstruction of cahuns selfportrait dont kiss me im in training of 1927, and forms the starting point of this exhibition, the title of which behind the mask, another mask adapts a quotation from claude cahuns surrealist writings. Her work was both political and personal, and often played with concepts of gender and sexuality.
She had a brother, george, and her uncle, marcel schwob, was a wellknown writer who was part of the symbolist movement. Nov 11, 2011 sothebys presents works of art by claude cahun. View over 64 claude cahun artworks sold at auction to research and compare prices. Claude cahun 18941954, born lucy schwob into a literary family in nantes, took startling selfportrait photographs and published. Claude cahun was a french artist, photographer and writer. For want of a better model, van gogh chose to paint his own portrait on many occasions. Nov 16, 2017 cahun is primarily seen as a lesbian icon, and rarely as a transgender one. Claude cahun 25 october 1894 8 december 1954, born lucy renee mathilde schwob. August 27, 1890 november 18, 1976 was an american visual artist who spent most of his career in paris.
Her work was political and personal, and often undermined traditional concepts of gender roles. In autoportrait 95, cahun stages the presentation of her body as it sinks and disappears into various forms of vegetation. Claude cahun was a surrealist photographer whose work explored gender identity and the subconscious mind. Son livre le plus abouti sintitule aveux non avenus. Prefiguring by over seventy years many of the concerns explored by contemporary artists today, the importance of her work is increasingly recognised. Claude cahun 1894 1954 was a french photographer and writer. Claude cahun 25 october, 1894 8 december, 1954 was a french surrealist photographer and writer. A conceptual artist pays homage to surrealist claude cahuns.
Browse artwork and art for sale by claude cahun and discover content, biographical information and recently sold works. Claude cahun has 12 books on goodreads with 806 ratings. Absence where as claude cahun and the unopened book by nathanael and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Her long hair is gone, and is replaced by a shaved scalp, stripping away traditional associations of allure made between women and their flowing locks. Claude cahun was born as lucy schwob in nantes, france, to a middleclass jewish family in 1894. Cahun was one of few women who signed surrealist manifesto but opposed bretons homophobia. Claude cahun lucy renee mathilda schwob and marcel moore suzanne malherbe claude cahun selfportrait 1928 gelatin silver print see more.
Claude cahun 1894, nantes france 1954, saint helier jersey autoportrait selfportrait, 1929, gelatin silver print, 23. But if i were to maintain an altar, claude cahun would sit squarely at the center, the patron saint of surrealist nazi fighters, the ancestor we all need today. Subscribe to access price results for 150,000 different artists. This first comprehensive overview of the oeuvre of claude cahun offers a wealth of previously unpublished photographs and drawings, illuminating not only her work but also that of her partner marcel moore and establishing for the first time the extent of their collaboration.
Claude cahun, first edition abebooks passion for books. While in paris between 1886 and 1888, van gogh lightened his palette under the influence of the brilliant colors of the impressionists, but he soon reserved the use of such light colors to express particular moods. But the line between life and art wasnt always so clear for claude cahun and their life partner marcel moore. View claude cahun biographical information, artworks upcoming at auction, and sale prices from our price archives. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. She is best known for her selfportraits where cahunlong before the famous.
The claude cahun, self portrait is a photography photographic print created by claude cahun in 1929. Art historian amelia jones describes how claude cahuns exploration of sexuality in her work ruptured the insistently male surrealist gaze. Born lucy schwob, the french photographer, sculptor, and writer adopted the genderambiguous name claude cahun in 1917. Mar, 2019 claude cahun 18941954 is the alias of the french female artist, sculptor and writer lucy schwob, who was one of the pioneering figures in the history of contemporary period to have explored the issues of gender roles and their representation, via photography. The writer, photographer, and collage artist wrote these words in 1930. May 18, 2017 london if the history of art could be likened to a card game, claude cahun had the ultimate poker face. Her work was both political and personal, and often played with the. These milieux constituted the artistic and intellectual context in which cahun and moore created their second major collaborative publication, aveux non avenus disavowed confessions. The photographs are from the collection of audrey and sidney irmas. This beautifully illustrated book draws together for the first time the work of french artist claude cahun 18941954 and british contemporary artist gillian. Jun 29, 2016 claude cahun was a transgender artist, years ahead of her time. Though cahuns writings suggested she identified as agender, most academic writings use feminine pronouns when discussing her and her work, as there is little documentation that.
Reflections on surrealism desire unbound article pdf available in studies in gender and sexuality 43. Your purchase supports more than words, a nonprofit job training program for youth, empowering youth to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business. As reclusive and private as vivian maier was, her self portrait photographs reveal a telling story. Was claude cahuns autoportrait 1928 of herself looking androgynous in a blackandwhite checked robe, appearing as a duality a reflected version of herself in the mirror and a. Born lucy schwob in nantes, she was the niece of writer marcel schwob and the greatniece of orientalist david leon cahun. Claude cahun, autoportrait, blackandwhite photograph, x for claude cahun, resisting normalcy was a lifelong pursuit. From east gallery at norwich university of the arts nua, claude cahun, self portrait, 1928. Claude cahuns photographic, genderbending selfportraits present a. Claude cahun i speak by heart visionary art, french. Finding a lost great gavin james bower far too complicated and singular for her own good, she was also as breton said one of the most curious spirits of our time. Selfportrait by claude cahun monochrome print x courtesy of jersey heritage collectionsumarria lunn gallery claude cahun, autoportrait, claude cahun oct 1894 dec french artist, photographer and writer. What is always crucial to note in her photographic. In many ways, cahuns life was marked by a sense of role reversal, and her public identity became a commentary upon not only her own, but the publics notions of sexuality, gender, beauty, and logic. Learn more about the piece and artist, and its final selling price.
The image is used according to educational fair use, and tagged selfportraits. See more ideas about photography, portrait photography and art photography. If you like her art and want to look back at her pictures then this is a decent option. Her work was both political and personal, and often played with the concepts of gender and sexuality. The french photographers self portraits claude cahun, autoportrait, 1927, blackand. Her work was both political and personal, and often undermined traditional concepts of gender roles. Our show featured four vintage selfportraits by cahun, alongside work by five different contemporary photographers whose series explore similar themes of identity. I dont wear saints medals anymore, and havent lit a candle to one in decades. Mar 07, 2017 national portrait gallery, london artist, resistance fighter, gender warrior claude cahun was a woman before her time. Claude cahun selfportrait as a young man 1920 claude cahun was a french artist, photographer and writer.
Claude cahun autoportrait 1929 gelatin silver print see more. Sep 20, 2016 explore bbbdps board trans transsexuals, transvestites, transgenders. Claude cahun artwork for sale claude cahun art value. Find an indepth biography, exhibitions, original artworks for sale, the latest news, and sold auction prices. Gillian wearings latest masquerade holds up a mirror to the french pioneer. She later became claude cahun to appear gender neutral as an artist and as a writer. In this image, cahun has shaved her head and is dressed in mens clothing. Claude cahun love like matter is much odder than we. Claude cahun the art and popular culture encyclopedia. Thoughtfully posed, and often innovative, her self as a subject allows a depiction of her as she wants the world to see it. Disavowals is the first appearance of that work, widely considered to be her most important text, in english. Claude cahun lucy schwob and marcel moore suzanne malherbe, claude cahun, marcel moore.