SU student group to host provocative exhibition on ‘Bodies and Souls,’ Feb. 26-March 1

SU student group to host provocative exhibition on ‘Bodies and Souls,’ Feb. 26-March 1February 13, 2007Carol K. Masiclatclkim@syr.edu

Student members of the Syracuse University group Body Related Issues Discussion Groups, Education, and Support (BRIDGES) will host an exhibition this month by nationally known artist Frank Cordelle, who uses photographs of nude women and highly personal accompanying statements to create powerful commentary about body image, society’s portrayal of women, sexuality and women’s health issues. Cordelle will be on hand throughout the exhibition to discuss his work with the public.

From Feb. 26-March 1, “The Century Project: Bodies and Souls” will appear in Room 304 of the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center. The exhibition is free and open to the public, with paid parking on a space-available basis in the University’s visitor lots. Hours are: Feb. 26, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Feb. 27, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Feb. 28, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; and March 1, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. A public opening reception will take place Feb. 26 at 5 p.m.

“The diversity of body images and sizes is just as rich — and just as important to the fabric of society — as other kinds of diversity,” says Michelle Gallant, SU Health Services’ nutritionist and wellness educator and co-advisor of BRIDGES. “The fact that a group of SU students is able to bring a world-class artist like Frank Cordelle here is a testament to the University’s commitment to engaging with a wide variety of challenging issues.”

“Century” is a photographic look at real-life women ranging in age from the very moment of birth to 100 years of age. Far from the media-stylized caricature of beauty, the images feature daughters, sisters, mothers and grandmothers with a variety of life experiences, including victims of gender violence, cancer survivors and eating disorder sufferers, among others. Many of the photos are accompanied by the women’s stories, often in their own words; the overall effect is provocative, educational and therapeutic for viewers. Therapists have used Cordelle’s work extensively, and his exhibitions have been favorably received nationwide.

A companion book to the exhibition, “Bodies and Souls: The Century Project,” was published in November 2006 by Heureka Productions. A review appears in the March issue of O Magazine.

For more information on the exhibition, e-mail ocsserv@syr.edu. To preview the Century Project, visit http://www.thecenturyproject.com. The exhibition at SU is co-sponsored by the Student Association and SU Health Services.