Goddess(가디스)
용감함. 대담함. 아름다움.

In Her Words is a soundscape by composer and music producer Chiara Costanza. Costanza sampled talk shows, movies, acceptance speeches and interviews to create this work. It features the voices of many stars across time foregrounding these women's words.

In the male-dominated film industry, when women raise their voices, it’s often seen as an act of rebellion and solidarity. In Christmas in Connecticut (1945), American actress Barbara Stanwyck declared she was “tired of being pushed around… being told what to do… dancing to everyone else’s tune.” She could very well be speaking on behalf of most women that Hollywood has labelled as stars! Since the birth of cinema, women have been described as beautiful, glamorous, marvellous and magnificent. However, they’ve also been forced to consider how they look and even who they are.

Actresses have often had to defy expectations and the influence of the industry to make their mark and stake their claims. Through shared experiences, their collective voices over time form a cultural legacy. There is a continued need to acknowledge and profile the contributions of women in film, now and for generations to come.

Crafting the Ideal takes a closer look at how women have been represented on screen across film history. The way films portray women reflect the social standards of the time and often establish or reinforce stereotypes. As a result, society's perceptions of beauty have been largely skewed and shaped by screen culture and mass media.

Actresses such as Marilyn Monroe, Dorothy Dandridge, Meena Kumari and Joan Chen worked hard to overturn the stereotypes and typecasting they faced across their careers. They challenged existing views and fought for agency and control, paving the way for a more open and progressive world.

One of the most well-known cultural icons is Hollywood actress Norma Jean Mortenson, best known as Marilyn Monroe. She was often typecast in roles that depicted her as a blonde bombshell and sex symbol. However, she was an accomplished businesswomen in her own right. Monroe fought back against the film studio system, renegotiated her contract for less restrictive terms and eventually formed her own production company. Celebrities such as pop singer Madonna, Australian actress Margot Robbie and model Winnie Harlow have paid homage to Monroe at different points in their careers, referencing Monroe to make statements for equal representation within the broader entertainment industry.