A Century of Celebrity Through Women Photographers’ Eyes Goes on Show
An upcoming exhibition celebrates the women photographers who shaped the public image of fame throughout the twentieth century.
Stardust: 100 Years of Stage, Screen and Celebrity will be on display at Hundred Heroines in the U.K. from September 11 through November 20. Hundred Heroines is the only U.K.-based charity dedicated to women in photography. The free exhibition will explore how female photographers helped shape the visual language of celebrity over the past century.
The exhibition will feature portraits of actors, musicians, and public figures, ranging from early film stars including Vivien Leigh and Marlene Dietrich to striking contemporary portraits of icons like Kate Moss and Amy Winehouse by renowned portrait photographer Jillian Edelstein. It will also include photographs of Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin from the Elisabeth Buchmeyer Lewis archive, some of which are being shown publicly for the first time.
‘The Humanity Behind The Mask of Celebrity’
Stardust: 100 Years of Stage, Screen and Celebrity is the first exhibition to be held in Hundred Heroines’ new, larger gallery and museum space in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire.
“This is the perfect opening exhibition for our new gallery. It’s a celebration of the remarkable women who photographed the famous faces of the twentieth century, and gives us the chance to share some of the hidden gems in our archive,” Del Barrett, curator and founder of Hundred Heroines, says of Stardust: 100 Years of Stage, Screen and Celebrity. “The move marks an exciting new chapter for Hundred Heroines, and I’m excited about welcoming the first visitors through the doors in September.”
“When Hundred Heroines approached me to take part, saying yes was an easy decision! Seeing my own work exhibited alongside that of Lallie Charles, Dorothy Wilding, and Madame D’Ora has been an honor,” Jillian Edelstein, the exhibition’s featured artist, says. “My portraits included here reflect the humanity behind the mask of celebrity, the person behind the persona. We see them as more than the fame, more than the hype of modern-day fame. They become real and infinitely more moving as a result.”
More information about Stardust: 100 Years of Stage, Screen and Celebrity can be found here.
