Draped in cotton candy gowns with long, flowing tresses, Blake Fitch’s little girls look every inch the Fairy Princess, except. Except they also sport accessories such as a cross-bow, astronaut helmet, basketball shoes and self-possessed, sometimes even indignant, Attitude with a capital “A”. Miller Yezerski Gallery in Boston’s SoWa district is the showcase for Fitch’s pre-pubescent powerhouses in “Dress Rehearsal”, exhibiting through December 22, 2015.
“Vivian” from the series Dress Rehearsal by Blake Fitch (courtesy of the artist, Miller Yezerski, Boston and ClampArt, NYC).
Drawing upon the princess culture in which she grew up – “Disney’s Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty trifecta” – and the media merchandizing giant’s expanded and evolved versions of a princess that her daughter is experiencing today, Fitch portrays some of the first conceptions of femininity that girls embrace. You can sigh or laugh – or both, I suppose. Sigh at the inevitability of this developmental stage in many girls and laugh with relief that Disney has made the corporate decision to reflect some semblance of diversity and intelligence in its little heroines. Not surprisingly, Fitch goes even further.
“Amia” from the series Dress Rehearsal by Blake Fitch (courtesy of the artist, Miller Yezerski, Boston and ClampArt, NYC).
Attesting in no uncertain terms that being feminine, smart and empowered are not mutually exclusive, Fitch bursts forth with portraits that vibrate with color. The girls are large and central to her frames, their body language and expressions revealing a can-do demeanor, in size 10. They are still girls, and Fitch is careful to respect and portray their personalities, even as the feminist in her dictates when she hits the camera’s shutter. As a woman, I wouldn’t want it any other way.
“Sophia” from the series Dress Rehearsal by Blake Fitch (courtesy of the artist, Miller Yezerski, Boston and ClampArt, NYC).
The grown-ups know that it will still be an uphill battle for these emboldened, idealistic girls to make it through the trenches of their teen years undeterred from their lofty dreams. So much can happen in those volatile and fragile years. But Fitch’s message is clear and uplifting: fairy tales can still come true.
For more information about this show, go to: http://www.milleryezerskigallery.com/exhibition/dressrehearsal/
Feature Image: “Vanya, 2011” (detail) from the series Dress Rehearsal by Blake Fitch (courtesy of the artist Miller Yezerski, Boston and ClampArt, NYC).
“Kate” from the series Dress Rehearsal by Blake Fitch (courtesy of the artist, Miller Yezerski, Boston and ClampArt, NYC).
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