Change Has a Female Face is a work of historical black-and-white images documenting the early 1970s Women’s Movement. Shot from 1969 to 1972 in San Francisco, it explores a part of the feminist struggle that has never been portrayed. While images of national leaders and large demonstrations are widely circulated, we haven’t seen the small protests and private gatherings that were at the heart of the movement.
I began this project when I was twenty-one, an undergraduate fine-art photography major and an activist fighting sexism. I wanted to capture a visual record of who we were and what we did, one that merged fine art photography and photojournalism. Over the next three years I shot 1100 images of the women’s movement. I also saved every feminist newsletter and flier I obtained.
These archives are survivors. They’ve travelled with me for fifty years, waiting to be seen. Five years ago, I reviewed the images and selected 100 for multiple purposes. Those images, scanned as large 16-bit TIFF files, form the core of Change Has a Female Face. The project also includes 11”x14” digital prints on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta, 8”x10” silver gelatin prints on Agfa Brovira produced in my 1970s darkroom and extensive feminist ephemera.
Change Has a Female Face was created to capture the story of 1970s grassroots feminism. That remains my goal, but it’s now infused with urgency. With women’s rights under coordinated assault, I hope this project inspires the people who steer our present and shape our future.
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www.njhamberg.com
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Please Note Email Address: njhamberg@gmail.com
