Anger detracts from her beauty
Poland
2020
Synonymous with ugliness, the irrational or linked to hysteria, female anger has always been somewhat baffling, causing rejection. Traditionally, women and girls must suppress their annoyance and keep their nerves in check. In all rules of etiquette, it is unacceptable to lose one’s temper! In today’s social context, women’s anger is getting louder and, in some case, has even become a tool for political leverage. Yet, it remains taboo, unacceptable, misunderstood.
In her series “Anger detracts from her beauty” – a popular saying in Poland about women, Weronika Perłowska works on the symbolism and assumptions around this misunderstood feeling. She puts them in the context of her own history, this suppressed rage that has been passed on from one generation to the next. Understanding and breaking down her own anger, this “ugly” emotion is a way for the artist of feeling empowered.
With the support of the Institut Polonais in Paris
Portfolio
About the artist
Weronika Perłowska is a visual artist based in Warsaw. She completed a Master’s in photography at the University of Arts in Poznań and in documentary studies at the University of Warsaw. In her practice, photography is just a starting point. She mixes different genres and media, combines personal archives and stories with cultural representations and a socio-political context.