A Twentieth Century Woman

Posted on 25 April, 2019

A Twentieth Century Woman is an exhibition that explores the layered lives of women aged 75-years and older, brought to life through audio and visual elements.

Stunning portraits of these women by Canberra-based photographer Holly Murney cover the walls, juxtaposed with images of the women in their youth. But this is more than just seeing then-and-now.

Walk a little closer and you will find iPhones and headphones next to each photograph. Put them on and you will hear each woman telling detailed and personal stories from their lives.

Two years ago, everything changed for Holly. Her grandmother, Violet, was diagnosed with cancer and the woman she knew to have “the calendar of a New York socialite”, the woman her family used to joke about outliving them all had – to them – “aged a decade overnight”.

Photographer Holly Murney.

Motivated by the mental and physical deterioration of her loved one, Holly created this exhibition to explore the themes of preservation, conservation and remembrance.

“The only thing I feel capable of doing is documenting [my grandmother’s] life and experiences in the hopes of preserving even a fraction of who she is,” explains Holly. “While the foundations of this project were built on fear, they were more importantly built from a place of love.”

Violet Strain.

The women Holly interviewed and photographed for this project ranged from the ages 78 to 94 and everywhere in between. Having studied a Bachelor of Visual Art at ANU, Holly was well versed in capturing images but wanted to bring her work to life.

“At the end of my undergraduate degree, I found myself stuck in the deadline centric genre of snapshot photography,” says Holly. “While my images were of technical and aesthetic merit, they were often oversimplified and lacking in conjecture”.

Through adding audio, Holly extends the images past the passive and creates art with a deeper connection between that of the subject, artist and us, the viewers.

Staring down the barrel of Holly’s time machine you learn about twentieth-century women’s hardships and prosperities. You learn about the marriages and careers of these women in a time where women had little to no rights. You hear about what it was like to be a child of war, raise children, experience a marriage breakdown, illness, worldwide journeys and breaking through the boundaries of what was considered ‘taboo’. You realise not only are these women inspirational and resilient, but they have paved the way for us twenty-first-century women to live the way we do.

In her interview 78-year-old Zena Singh-Brar reflects on her childhood spent in a Russian Gulag, a Soviet Union forced labour camp. Despite Zena’s experiences, she speaks from a place of optimism and hope, saying, “Any scars that leave deep marks on you, only make you stronger”.

Zena Singh-Brar.

When reflecting on the interview process, Holly says she found it interesting to see what memories stand out in a lifetime.

“Throughout the interview process my subjects and I explore a specific strand of memory known as ‘autobiographical’ or ‘episodic’,” she explains. “Through the cultivation of a positive rapport, we are able to comfortably and candidly discuss the great highs and extreme lows of life. In many moments I share their joy and in others, I commiserate with them as if their pain was my own.”

Holly comments on wanting to explore this generation in particular, as she feels they have been overlooked and underrepresented. Through this exhibition, she re-gifts these women their voice and gives a platform for us to learn from their history.

Holly hopes that this series will not only inspire but encourage genuine human connection. In a time where we are constantly swallowed by our jobs, our phones and the fast-paced habits of the twenty-first century, Holly wants us to go home and talk to our own grandmothers, mothers, aunts and sisters.

Irene Williams.

“When it comes to family, familiarity tends to breed complacency and I think it’s important that we get to know these women as more than the role they play within our lives.”

She advises us to do this before making the common mistake so many of us do – thinking that we have more time.

Holly was the recipient of the 2018 Cox Prize, part of the Emerging Artist Support Scheme at ANU. She graduated from the School of Art and Design at ANU with A Bachelor of Visual Art with First Class Honours.

the essentials 

What: A Twentieth Century Woman by Holly Murney
When: Showing until 17 May
Where: Cox Architecture, 1/19 Eastlake Parade, Kingston
More information: via Facebook

Photography: Holly Murney