Actress Angela Featherstoneʼs first curated show, Fuck Pretty, is a collection of photographs by world-renowned and unknown women artists, whose work moves and inspires her. There are images from contemporary photographers Catherine Opie, Susan Meiselas, Tierney Gearon and equally important to the curator, an array of emerging artists, some of whose work the curator is proud to be showing for the very first time. The exhibit is accompanied by a musical score created by film composer Claudia Sarne (Book of Eli).
“In Dec of 2010, I found myself frustrated by forces beyond my control, alone and having just spent most of the year dealing with childhood trauma. I woke up, alone, right before Christmas and a conversation I had with my dear pal, Richard Jeni (r.i.p) came to mind. I had ranted to him about a deal gone south, ‘they always say, ‘she's so pretty and funny’ but I say fuck pretty, gimmie money, get it now!’ Jeni laughed so hard and said, ‘Angie, FUCK PRETTY has to be the title of your autobiography.’
In a matter of minutes I found two great clips on youtube: The Network 'I'm mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore’ speech and a kickass clip of L7 at Cannes playing ‘Questioning my sanity’. I then found the quote: ‘in order for something to be beautiful it doesn't have to be pretty’ - Rei Kawakubo.
Having had two to three good ideas before in my life - I knew I had something. I called my old pal, Gallerist Robert Berman and said I wanted to curate an all female photographer show called FUCK PRETTY. Luckily, he said yes.
Since December, the show has really come into perspective, thanks to the amazing collaborative efforts of these brilliant photographers. I have come to realize that this show reflects my life - where I've been, where I am and where I want to go - in a way I couldn't articulate on my own: from abuse and desolation to anger, alienation, acknowledgment and unification. The photographs are all, in some way, a reflection of who I am. So in the end, Jeni was right. It is an autobiography of sorts.”
- Angela Featherstone