Amanda Rowan is a photographer who aims to convey what it is like to be within the martriarchy in her series Place Settings. Rowan uses bright imagery, color and multiple props to express ideas of what women have gone through in their lives and how they want to express themselves.
"I sought to capture the duality of the space. In one sense, a reaction to privilege and aristocracy, and at the same time, a celebration of autonomy in the American Southwest as independent women."Farah AlRasheed is an activist who uses photography to show the experiences of Arab women in the United States. Using this medium as a form of communication AlRasheed uses her photos to show reality of a culture that express interest in purity.
"Through sensuous poses that subvert the religious associations with the veil, the shrouded women are unfettered by expectation – granted anonymity to do as they please. Freedom to express individual desire and independence is a virtue that AlRasheed seeks to express through these images. At the same time, she alludes to a lack of representation that is greater than a simple appeal to seduction or physicality. While living in the United States, AlRasheed observed similarly limited views about femininity. While the two societies appear very culturally dissimilar, she discerned a different kind of “veil” that seemed to box women into stereotypes that were acceptable to society at large. Through her photos, AlRasheed questions the social power structures that exist everywhere, and limit honest and genuine expression of self. By pushing the limits of what’s considered acceptable behavior and shining light on cultural taboos, AlRasheed creates images that deconstruct ideas and beliefs around what femininity really is."(also would not let me copy images so here is link to article)
