The Royal Photographic Society has just announced their list of Hundred Heroines, women from across the world whose work is transforming photography today.
These female photographers, who were nominated online (anyone was allowed to make a nomination), have inspired and challenged others, highlighted particular issues or shown bravery or courage through their image-making. The final list has been whittled down from some 1,300 nominations from members of the public.
Why 100 Heroines?
The date marks one hundred years to the day since some British women first voted in a general election.
Hundred heroines, and in turn the RPS, are celebrating this key centenary and the significant contribution women are making globally to photography.
Who's made the list?
The heroines includes well-known names such as Nan Goldin (pictured above), Britta Jaschinski, Sophie Calle, Rineke Dijkstra, Susan Meiselas, and Hannah Starkey, as well as photographers such as Wendy Red Star and Moscow based photographer, Oksana Yushko, whose works aren't so widely recognised, particularly in the UK.
An exhibition and accompanying publication will follow and each of the heroines will soon be awarded a medal minted specifically for the project – the Margaret Harker medal (Margaret Harker (1920 – 2013) was the first female president of The RPS and the first female professor of photography in the UK).
“We have been absolutely overwhelmed by the positive response to the campaign. It’s been a roller-coaster of emotions reading the stories of heartbreak, hurt and hope and we’ve been moved by the extraordinary lengths women will go to in order to highlight the plight of others.”
Del Barratt, Vice president, RPS
Historic heroines
In addition to contemporary heroines the campaign received hundreds of nominations for those women no longer with us, whose work has been vitally important to photography as it exists today.
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This campaign will continue in 2019 with a focus on historical heroines, when the list will be put to public vote.
“What a wonderful way to mark the centenary of women’s suffrage. If my grandmother and great-grandmother were able to come back and look at the world today, I think they would be heartened by much of the progress in women’s rights. However, they would also be spurring us on, highlighting how much we still have to do – given ongoing levels of gender inequality in almost all spheres – including in the world of photography.”
Helen Pankhurst
Find out more about RPS Hundred Heroines
Through this initiative, The RPS wants to redefine the status of women in contemporary photography, allowing talents that may otherwise have been overlooked to emerge.
For more details of the campaign and the 100 photographers visit www.rps100heroines.org
Hundred Heroines: full list of 100 female photographers
Adama Delphine Fawundu & Laylah Amatullah Barrayn
Aida MulunehAlix Marie
Anastasia Taylor Lind
Aneta Grzeszykowska
Anne HardyAnnegret SoltauBritta Jaschinski
Carrie Mae Weems
Chloe Dewe Mathews
Clare Strand
Clementine Schneidermann
Collier Schorr
Cristina de Middel
Daesha Devon Harris
Dana Lixenberg
Dana Popa
Dayanita Singh
Dragana Jurisic
Elina Brotherus
Ellen Carey
Eva Stenra
Evgenia Arbugaeva
Fatma Bucak
Gillian Wearing
Gohar Dashti
Graciela Iturbide
Hannah Collins
Hannah Reyes Morales
Hannah Starkey
Heather Agyepong
Helen Sear
Helene BinetIndre Serpytyte
Isadora Kosofsky
Jane Hilton
Jenevieve Aken
Jillian Edelstein
Joana Choumali
Jodi Bieber
Josephine PrydeJoy Gregory
Katy Grannan
Laia Abril
Lalla Essaydi
LaToya Ruby Frazier
Laura El-Tantway
Lise Sarfati
Lorna Simpson
Lua Ribeira
Marcia Michael
Mari Bastashevski
Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons
Marianne Mueller
Martha Rosler
Mitra Tabrizian
Miyako Ishiuchi
Monica Alcazar-Duarte
Nan Goldin
Natasha Caruana
Newsha Tavakolian
Noemi Goudal
Oksana Yushko
ORLAN
Paola Paredes
Pixy Liao
Rahima Gambo
Rena Effendi
Renate Bertlmann
Rineke Dijkstra
Rinko Kawauchi
Sarah Jones
Shirin Neshat
Sian Davey
Sonja Hamad
Sophie Calle
Susan Derges
Susan Lipper
Susan Meiselas
Tacita Dean
Taryn Simon
Tereza Zelenkova
Tracey Moffatt
Trish Morrissey
Ursula Schulz-Dornburg
Valerie Belin
VALIE EXPORT
Vanessa Winship
Viviane Sassen
Wendy Ewald
Wendy McMurdo
Wendy Red Star
Yagazie Emezi
Yan Wang Preston
Yto Barrada
Yushi Li
Zanele Muholi
Zarina Bhimji
Zineb Sedira
Zoe Leonard
