Jitka Hanzlova

The Annet Gelink Gallery proudly presents the second solo exhibition by the Czech artist Jitka Hanzlová (1958) who lives and works in Essen, Germany. The new series of photographs, entitled 'Female', is a compilation of approximately 50 portraits of women of various ages. The series was created between 1997 and 2000 and shows a multifaceted portrait of contemporary female identity.

In her photographs Jitka Hanzlová percieves everyday and incidental events. For this series she photographed women she met on her various travels to European and American cities. The images often arose spontaneously at the place of the meeting, or by appointment the next day. The women are portrayed as individuals with specific irregularities and facial features, which do not allow for stereotypical classification.
The people we meet in these portraits are anonymous. In most cases the title only mentions their first name, in some instances even this has been left out. The identity, the profession and the living conditions of these models remain unknown to us. Even when Hanzlová seemingly reveals some biographical details about the subjects she observes, her images never become voyeuristic. On the contrary, as an artist she has the utmost respect for the women she portrays and cautiously tries to capture their self-assertion on film. Though the emphasis is on the women, they are always related to mostly urban surroundings, its colours and atmospheres. Subject and background interact directly. This synthesis gives each of Hanzlová's photographs a unique expression.