Gallery 151 is proud to present a selection of satirical photographs by Anna Friemoth. In her first New York solo exhibition, Anna unveils her latest series, Words for Women, and revisits her collection of candid self-portraits, 10 Commandments. Friemoth playfully reexamines these innate concepts by defying and challenging their validity. She portrays herself (and others) in each photograph as mischievous, lustful and devious – all through wry implications.
In Words for Women, Friemoth ridicules labels often reserved for women by extracting their literal context and mocking their absurdity. “Sugar Tits” depicts a model’s breasts caked in scrumptious frosting, “Trophy Wife” presents Friemoth as a gleaming statuette on a pedestal. When these words for women are visualized, however sensual, they are merely a reflection on the contemporary society and its biases.
In a series of self-portraits, 10 Commandments provides a devilish interpretation on the Biblical laws by illustrating ways they can be broken -- whether it's absconding with a painting or impishly removing a wedding ring. Each frame is highlighted by meticulously chosen elements – be it a rotisserie chicken, a dartboard or a rotary telephone – and Friemoth’s arresting gaze, which serves as an invitation to the other side.
In each series, Anna Friemoth absorbs the original context and then reformats it into a fresh, interpretive narrative. Words for Women conveys real confidence in the power of portraits, and builds on the premise that imposing a boundary on an idea or a person is a futile attempt.
Anna Friemoth (b. 1990) received her BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art and studied photography abroad at Central Saint Martin’s in London. Her work has been published internationally in France, South Korea, Turkey, China, London and New York. Among these include BLINK Magazine, Beautiful/Decay, Feature Shoot, MATTE Magazine, Flavorwire, among others. Friemoth’s work has been exhibited in Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York; Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio; Queens Museum, New York; and acquired by the Museum of Modern Art’s periodicals collection.