Seeing a woman’s body through the female gaze

A woman’s body has long been among the prime artistic inspirations for many artists that we now have numerous masterpieces highlighting the female form’s rich curves, delicately folded hands, mysterious gaze, and even the wonders of their feminine parts. It becomes even more interesting, perhaps, when a female artist captures her fellow woman through art—be it on canvas, sculpture, or song. These, potentially, could have a greater impact. There’s a sense of understanding and connection in their art pieces that celebrate more than just the womanly physique but also their psyche.

That is what Filipino artist Marge Organo is presenting in her latest sculptural works. Dubbed “En Femme,” a French phrase which means “as a woman,” the collection of optical glass works presented by Galerie Raphael explores the bare beauty of the woman, releasing “it from its original state that is limited by one’s preconceptions.” By stripping away things from the body, the artist aims to remove and disrupt society’s fixed notions on a woman and, ultimately, help them see a woman’s body “from a literal identification of flesh into an authentic emotional response to the work.”

“The goal of the exhibit is to illustrate how society's contemporary view of women has evolved from the historical myth,” the gallery says. “Whether evocative of nature, steeped in legend, or cloaked in other cultural references, the subjects of Marge Organo’s works are often simultaneously beautiful and delicate, vulnerable yet powerful.”

Marge Organo’s “En Femme” will be on view at Booth A1 of ManilArt 2021, located at the 3rd Level of SMX Convention Center, SM Aura, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig from Oct. 13 – 17, 2021.