Mary Green
Backs
Obikwanan
ALL IMAGES © THE ARTIST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
What do prehistoric sculptures of fertility deities, icons of the Virgin Mary, early modern Italian paintings, and Mary Green’s artistic oeuvre have in common? In addition to being significant pieces of visual culture, each of these artistic groups position the female body as their primary subject.
Aaniish newen jibwaa zhibiigaadeg gego mewizha agaa zhiwebak mazininiig nitaawigiyaad gizhe’manidowijig, mazininiiwig owa Virgin Mary, wiiba oshki Italian mazinibiiganig, miinwaa Mary Green ado mazininigewin kina e’digo yaamiwaad? Owi aanke owi aawong gechi piitendaagwogokin newen waamjigaadegin inaadiziwin, bebezhig gwa ninda mazininige digosingh waabmdowemigad owi kwe wiiyaa aawong ntam wenaamjigan.
In Western art, women’s bodies have been rendered, posed, often in situations without agency, subjugated, stripped or captured, in order to provide an historical or literary narrative context for the authorized (or unauthorized) depiction of the nude female form. The imaging of women was governed by cultural ideals of female beauty. These practices conserved or reiterated received or coveted views of the ideal human form.
Zhiwe epigishimag mazininiigewin, kwewog wiiyawiniwaan agii waabmdowemigad, zishijigaaziwaad, minwe-aapii gwa zhiwe gego inendiziwaad, dibasabiginigaaziwaad, mitaakzhebinindwaa maage odaapindwaa, owi onji awii miigwengh mewizha maage waabmjibiigaadeg owi onji bagidinigaadeg (maage gaawii bagidinigaadesinag) waabmdowewin owi mitaakizhed kwe mazininigan. Owi mazininigewin gewe kwewog agii inaakinigaademigad newen inaadiziwin ishpendaagwog owi kwe gonaajiwiwin. Ninda naagijigewinan gnowenjigaadenon maage aanji debinigaadenon maage misiwendaagwog waabmjigewinan owi memaanji ginaajiwong wiiyaw ezhinaagwog.
Portrait of the artist. Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Over the course of her career of over 40 years in the visual arts, Mary Green, one of Northern Ontario’s most significant senior artists and art educators, explores many themes in her studies of the body, including the relationship between the viewer and persons viewed in the artwork.
Owi ani bimisemigag owi ado nakiiwin owi woshme niimdana shi biboon zhiwe mazininigewin, Mary Green, bezhig owa Giiwedinong Ontario ado memaanji ishpi mazininigejig miinwaa mazininigewin gikinomaagejig, nda gikendaanan niibna waabmjiganan zhiwe ado skoonwiwin owi wiiyaw, e’digoshinowaad owa genwaabmdang miinwaa bemaadizijig e’waabmjiziwaad owi mazininigewin.
In her earliest series, explored here in a separate exhibition, Child Vision (1979), women are pictured in the daily context of parental or supervisory roles with children. As her artistic practice grew, Mary Green’s subjects shifted away from children and towards the women who cared for them.
Zhiwe memaanji wiiba aankesingh, nda gikenjigaademigag maampii bkaan ayaawong waabmdowewin, Binoojiin Naabmdam (1979), kwewog waabmjigaaziwog zhiwe ensa giizhigag ayaawong owi ogitizimwin maage gikowaabmjigaaziwaad gewe binoojiinig. Owi ado mazininigewin zhichigewin maajiiging, Mary Green mezinaaziwaad agii aanjisemigad gewe binoojiinig miinwaa odi gewe kwewog nyaagidowenimaa-aad newen.
In addition to empowering women through her artwork Green became an active member of several organizations in Sudbury where she engaged with feminist issues facing women and artists in local and national contexts.
Miinwaa aanke owi mashkoziiwaad kwewog owi ado mazininigewin Green agii maajii aawi waajii-ed newen gmaaminig wiijii-ewinan zhiwe Sudbury zhiwe agii bimiikang kwewing zinagiziwinan genwaabmdamiwaad kwewog miinwaa mezininigejig zhiwe endinakiid miinwaa gichi kiing ezhiwebak.
Mary Green, Artists 07 – Sudbury Women’s Art Collective, 1988. Silver print on resin coated paper. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Mary Green, Mezinibiigejig 07 – Sudbury Kwewog Mazinibiigejig Maamowiyaang, 1988. Zhoonyaa-aandeg zhiwe aboo gibagan mazinigan. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Mary Green, More Moon Myths: June Moon, 1991. 15 Hand-tinted silver prints on spiral-bound matt board. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Mary Green, Woshme Dibik-giizis Aanzokewinan: Odemin-giizis Dibik Giizis, 1991. 15 Miziwenaandeg zhoonyaa-aandeg mazinaakiziganag zhiwe dikobijigaazad bisagaak. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
A member of the Sudbury Women’s Art Collective, Mary Green worked with her fellow artists to pool ideas, resources and build collective exhibitions on common themes with each woman working in her own media. Exhibiting in group exhibitions with the Collective, Green produced her series More Moon Myths (1991), and several solo exhibitions including a photographic installation Leap Year (1993). Both of these photographic series depict women in costume playing traditionally female roles and show the artists developing focus on the female body.
Wiijii-ed owi Sudbury Kwewog Mazininigewin Maandoonigan, Mary Green agii nakii gewe wiiji mazininigejig awii maandosidowaad indendamowiniwaan, nakaaziwinan miinwaa zhitowaad maamowisijigaadeg waabmdowewinan newen gagwech ezhinaagwog owa ensa bezhig kwe nakiid awiin dnowaa aabajichiganan enkaaziwaad. Waabmdowed zhiwe maamowi waabmdowewinan owi Maamowi-iing, Green agii zhitoon ado aankesingh mazininigewin Woshme Dibik-giizis Aanzokewinan (1991), miinwaa gmaaminig onjike waabmdowewinan e’digosingh owi mazinaazigaadeg zhisijigan Aanke Giizhigad Temigag Biboon (1993). Neniish gwa ninda mazinaazigaadeg aankesingh waabmdowemigad kwewog biiskamiwaad maanjiino gwiwinan nankiiwaad gagwech kwe e’nakiid miinwaa waabmdowemigad gewe mazininigejig zhitowaad memdage gnowaabmdamiwaad owi kwe wiiyaw.
In 1993, Mary Green participated in a nine-month long project with several other local women and artists in the Sudbury area to create what became an exhibition titled Exploration – an exhibition of sexuality. The women came together in workshop sessions at the home of artist Heather Topp where they discussed issues revolving around female sexuality. Out of the discussions that took place in these sessions, each artist created a piece of her own.
Apii 1993, Mary Green agii wiidokaaza owi zhaangswi giizis minik nankiiwin gewe aanin bkaan zhiwe endinakiijig kwewog miinwaa mezininigejig zhiwe Sudbury kiing awii zhitowaad owi agaani aawong owi waabmdowewin ezhinkaademigag Ndo waamjigewin – owi waabmdowewin owi minwenjige-zhayaawin. Gewe kwewog agii maamowi yaawog zhiwe gikinomaadiwin odi endaad owa mazininiged Heather Topp zhiwe agii dazhindamowaad zengendaagokin ayaawong owi kwe minwenjigewin. Onji newen dazhinjigewinan agaa temigad zhiwe ninda nakweshkaadiwinan, ensa bezhig mesininiged agii zhitoon owi mazininigewin awiin agaa zhitood.
Mary Green, Leap Year 01 – Conversation, 1993. Silver print on fiber paper. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Mary Green, Aanke giizhigad temigag Biboon 01 – Dinaangidonwin, 1993. Zhoonyaa-aandeg mazinaakizigan zhiwe mazinigan. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Body Portraits
Body Portraits (Installment 1) a solo exhibition at the Laurentian University Museum and Art Centre in 1986 is one of Green’s first series which explores these themes. The exhibition included two photographs of the artist’s studio during the creation of Anatomy of a Painting (1986), a mixed media on canvas rendering of four partially unclothed figures. The two studio photographs depict the painting in progress.
Wiiyaw Mazinchiginag
Wiiyaw Mazinchiginag (Zhisijigaaziwaad 1) onjike wiin mazininigewin waabmdowewin odi Laurentian Ishpi Gikinomaage Gamig Zigakinige Gamig minwaa Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig apii 1986 aawon bezhig owi Green ado ntam aankesingh owi nda gikendamowin ninda ezhinaagwokin. Owi waabmdowewin agii digoshinoog niish mazinaaziganag owi mezininiged ado nakii gamig epiichi zhitood owi Wiiyaw owi Mazinibiigan (1986), owi gnigsing aaboon nikaaziwinan owi nigaasmoniigin waabmjigaaziwaad niiwin aanin mitaakozhejig mezinishinajig. Newen niish nakii gamig mazinaaziganag waamdowemigad owi mazinibiigan megwaa zhichigaademigag.
Mary Green, Body Portraits 03 – Anatomy of a Painting, Studio #1, 1986. Silver print on fibre paper. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Mary Green, Wiiyaw Mazinchiginag 03 – Wiiyaw owi Mazinibiigan, Wiigwaam #1, 1986. Zhoonyaa-aandeg mazinaakizigan zhiwe mazinigan. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Mary Green, Body Portraits 04 – Anatomy of a Painting, Studio #2, 1986. Silver print on fibre paper. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Mary Green, Wiiyaw Mazinchiginag 04 – Wiiyaw owi Mazinibiigan, Wiigwaam #2, 1986. Zhoonyaa-aandeg mazinaakizigan zhiwe mazinigan. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
The action of the nude form is a universal gesture of dressing or undressing, something everyone does perhaps twice a day. A garment covers the head of each figure, masking identity. In another work by Green, the photograph Anatomy of a Painting – Interaction, a similar gesture is found. On film, Green the moment that the model’s face becomes obscured by the action of donning or doffing a t-shirt exposing their nude torso in the same manner as the figures in the painting.
Owi zhichigewin owa mitaakizhed aawon maziwi kiing nankiiwin biiskoniyengh miinwaa giiskoniyengh, owi kina gwaya eshichiged gnimaa niizhing ensa giizhigag. Owi gwiwin giba-aan owi ndib owa ensa bezhig mezinishingh, gabagaademigag ayaawid. Owi bkaan nikiiwin owa Green, owa mazinaazigan Wiiyaw owi Mazinibiigan – Nakweshkaadingh, owi zhaazhowaaj nankiiwin makigaademigad. Zhiwe mazinaakiziganeyaab, Green owi apii ojina owa mezinaatesijigaazad dengwen miishinaagwod owi bimaajiiwin owi biiskamong maagegiiskamong babigwayaan naagwog mitaakizhed zhiwe naasaab nikiiyaa gewe mezinishinajig zhiwe mazinibiigewin.
Mary Green, Anatomy of a Painting, 1986. Mixed media on canvas. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Mary Green, Wiiyaw owi Mazinibiigan, 1986. Gnigsing shosigagan zhiwe ningaasimooniigin. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Body Portrait #4 features an image of the female body pictured in motion. Here the model recreates the actions of the figures in Anatomy of a Painting, their head obscured as in the painting.
Wiiyaw Mazinibiigan #4 waamdowemigad owi mazinising owi kwe wiiyaw mazinaazigaazad bimaajiid. Maampii owa mezinaatesijigaazad aanji zhitoon newen bimaajiiwinan gewe mesijinshinajig zhiwe Wiiyaw owi Mazinibiigan, ondibiwaan miishinaagidoon dibishko zhiwe owi mazinaazigan.
Mary Green, Body Portrait #4, 1986. Silver print on fibre paper. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Mary Green, Wiiyaw Mazinibiigan #4, 1986. Zhoonyaa-aandeg mazinaakizigan zhiwe mazinigan. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Backs
The series Backs (1993) is an example of the artist’s treatment of the themes of female identity, the depiction of the female form, and cultural ideals of beauty that impact women on a daily basis. In a layout not unlike a classification or identification system, the women’s portraits are on display.
Obikwanan
Owi ayaankesingh Obikwanan (1993) aawon gikinwaabmjigan owi mezininiged endoodang newen ayaawongin owi kwe ayaawid, owi waabmdowewin owi kwe ezhinaagozid, miinwaa inaadiziwin ishpendaagwog owi kwe gonaajiwiwin madookidaagwaad kwewog ensa giizhigag. Zhiwe owi zhisijigan gaawii bkaan owi zhiigwaabmijigengh maage waawiinjigaadeg zhichigewin, newen kwewog ado mazinchiganag waabmdowem.
Mary Green, Backs, Artists 01 – 09, 1993. Silver print on fibre paper. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Mary Green, Obikwanan, Mezinibiigejig 01 – 09, 1993. Zhoonyaa-aandeg mazinaakizigan zhiwe mazinigan. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
The photographic series contains the portraits of the nude backs of nine women artists and activists. Similar to her Body Portraits series (1986), Backs confronts the viewer with a recontextualization of the role of the body in the performance and identity of self.
Owi mazinaaziganag aankesingh digoshinog newen mazinaaziganag owi mitaakozhe pikwanan gewe zhaanswi kewog mezininigejig miinwaa bimaakwiijig. Zhaazhowaaj owi ado Wiiyaw Mazinchiginag aankesingh (1986) Obikwanan nakweshkaagwon owa genwaabmaad owi aanji ginowaabmjigan owi odinaangizhewin owi wiiyaw owi bimaajiiwin miinwaa waawiinjigaadeg ayaawiying.
“We don’t have to put up a good front. Frontal views aren’t necessary. Our frontage is not the question.”
Mary Green 1
“Gaawii memkaach gdaa waabmdowesiimi mina naagoziiying. Niigaan ginowaabmjigaademigag gaawii dowendaagosino. Giiniwi niigaan ezhinaagozii-ing gaawii aawizino owi gagwedwewin.”
Mary Green 1
In a similar arrangement to her earlier work, the women in this series have consented to removing their clothing and to the photographic depiction of their bodies. However, this time by focusing on the backs of her subjects, the artist has doubly obscured their identities. “Some of the women in this series didn’t recognize their own backs.”2
Zhiwe owi dibishkonaagwog owi ado wiiba nankiiwin, gewe kwewog zhiwe maanda aankesingh agii nendamog awii giiskamiwaad ado gwininiwaan miinwaa owi mazinaazigaadeg ezhinaagwog owi wiiniwaa wiiyawiniwaan. Dash wiigwa, maanda apii memdage ginowaabmjigaadeg newen pikwaganan mezinaaziwaad, owa mezininiged niizhingh miishinaagidoon ayaawiwaad.“Aanin gewe kwewog zhinda aankesing gaawii nisidiwiniziinaa-aa pikwaninimowaan.”2
Green examines the iconographic and linguistic implications of the word ‘back’ while also demonstrating the pictorialisation of backs in identity formation. With the inability to see our own backs, there is a certain level of intimacy in revealing this often unseen part of the body: we do not know how our own backsides look.
Green ado nda gikendaanan newen mazininiin miinwaa iniwewin inenjigaadeg owi kidiwin “pikwan” miinwaa naasaab apii waabmdoweng owi mazinchigaademigag newen pikwanan owi ayaawid zhitoong. Owi gashkitosiwong awii waabmdamang gdo pikwananin, temigad owi epiitaamigag owi minwendamowin owi naagatoong maanda wewiikaa ayaamjigaadesinag etemigag owi wiiyaw: gaawii agii gikendiziinaa owi gdo pikwanaanan ezhinaagwog.
BACK
the reverse or wrong side: the undecorated, unfinished side that is not meant to be displayed
support or help
Mary Green 3
the part of a person’s body opposite to his face and to the front part of his body
PIKWAN
owi shkwe-aang maage maanaajiwii nikiiyaa: owi gaawi e’zazegaatosiing, gaawii gashchigaadesinag gaawii e’nendaagisinag awii waabmdowengh
aasgaabiwichigewin maage naadmaagewin
owi ayaawong owi bemaadizid wiiyaw aazhawi owi dengwaan miinwaa owi niigaan ayaawong owi wiiyawin
Mary Green 3
The female nude has been a central part of the objectifying process in the history of art, using sensualized images to idealize womanhood.
Owi kwe mitaakizhed pane agii aawon owi naanaagwiwiiwong owi gego aawong zhichigewin zhiwe owi mewizha mazininigewin, nikaazanang minwendamowin mazinchiganan awii ishpenjigaadeg kwewin.
Green, Mary. (1993). Didactics from artist statement. Mary Green fonds, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury. Binder 2, 11.
Green, Mary. (1993). Waandamaagemigag onji meziniged ekidad. Mary Green zhisijiganan, Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury. Binder 2, 11.
In the process of taking the photos of these women’s backs, the artist took into consideration factors such as safety and security of the models. The women photographed felt safe during the photographic process and controlled the capture of their own image.
Zhiwe owi zhichigewin owi dapinigaaziwaad mazinchiganan ninda kwewog pikwanan, owa meziniged agii naanaagidowendaanan nowonj ayaawong dibishko gonaa waankiiwin miinwaa gashkiiziwin owi gewe mezinaazigaazijig. Gewe kwewog agaa mazinaazigaazijig agii waankiiwendamog epiichi owi mazinaazigewin miinwaa agii naagidowendaanaa-aa owi debinigaademigag owi ado mazinchigan.
For this reason, trust and security surface as an important theme in the series, as well as the methods of display for the images. The artist states:
“We know what goes on behind the backs of others, but they don’t.
Some of the women in this series didn’t recognise their own backs.
The photos were shot one evening in a safe environment.
The background was restricted.
The approachable nature of the work,
Uncropped images with a simple paper mat, not behind glass,Echoes the trust the women had, to allow me behind them.”
Mary Green 4
Maanda onji, penmandaagwog miinwaa waankiimigag ayaawong aawon gechi piitendaagwog waabmjigan zhiwe owi aankesingh, miinwaa age owi nikiiyaa eshisijigaademigag newen mazinchiginan. Owa mezininiged kida:
“Agii gikendaanaa owi ezhiwebak shkwe-aang newen pikwanan gewe bekaanzijig, dash gaawii wiinwaa.
Aanin gewe kwewog zhinda aankesing gaawii nisidiwiniziinaa-aa pikwaninimowaan.
Gewe mazinchiganag agii daapinigaaziwog ngoding jibwaa dibikag zhiwe enji waankiimigag.
Owi shkwe-aang etemigag agii nigaasijigaademigad.
Owi naazikaagewin ayaawong owi nakiiwin,
Gaawii naawisijigaasiwaad mazinaaziganag owi wenjida mazinigan, gaawii shkwe-aang waasechiganaabig.
Debiwewesing owi apenimowin gewe kwewog agaa yaamiwaad agii bigidizhiwaad shkwe-aang awii ayaa-aan.”
Mary Green 4
The individual portraits capture the beauty and uniqueness of each woman. The backs of the artists represented in this series push back against societal ideals about the female form. Rather than idealizing a single moment of youthful beauty, Backs celebrates the beauty of difference. Aging spots, freckles, soft rolls, sharp shoulders, skin softened by years well lived are all highlighted in these images.
Newen bebezhig mazinaaziganag debibidoon owi gnaajiwiwin miinwaa bezhigwo ayaawid owa ensa bezhig kwe. Newen pikwanan gewe mezininigejig e’waabmdowemigag zhinda aankesingh gagaandinigaade shkwe-aang nikiiyaa newen bemaadizijig ishpendamowaad owi kwe ezhinaagozid. Meshkwod dash owi ishpendaagwog owi ojina apii owi oshkiniigingh gonaajiwiwin, Obikwanan minaajitoon owi genaajiwong owi bkaan aawong. Gichi piitizing gidagiziwinan, gidagiziwinag, noka wiininawin, giinko’dinmaaganan, nagay nokizid owi biboon minik weweni bimaadiziwin kina ishpisinoon zhinda kina mazinaaziganag.
Included in the rich fonds of archival materials made available by the artist, we are privileged to have access to a group portrait of all the women who participated in the creation of the series.
E’digosingh zhiwe gichitwaa zhisiganan newen zigakinigaadeg nakaaziwinan agaa miigwengh owa mezininiged, ndo debizimi awii misendamaang owi maamowi yaawaad mazinaazigaaziwaad gewe kina kwewog agaa digokaaziwaad zhiwe owi zhichigaademigag owi aankesijigan.
Green, Mary. (1993). Photograph of the women of Backs, Artists. Mary Green fonds, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury. Binder 2, 19.
Green, Mary. (1993). Mazinaazagan gewe kwewog owi Obikwanan, Mezinibiigejig. Mary Green zhisijiganan, Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury. Binder 2, 19.
Endnotes
1 Green, Mary. (1993). Didactics from artist statement. Mary Green fonds, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury. Binder 2, 11.
2 Green, Mary. (1993). Artist statement regarding Backs. Mary Green fonds, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury. Binder 2, 46.1.
3 Green, Mary. (1993). Didactics from artist statement. Mary Green fonds, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury. Binder 2, 11.1.
4 Green, Mary. (1993). Artist statement regarding Backs. Mary Green fonds, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury. Binder 2, 46.1.
Gikendamowin agaa Dinigaademigag
1 Green, Mary. (1993). Waandamaagemigag onji meziniged ekidad. Mary Green zhisijiganan, Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury. Binder 2, 11.
2 Green, Mary. (1993). Mezininiged ekidad newen Obikwanan. Mary Green zhisijiganan, Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury. Binder 2, 46.1.
3 Green, Mary. (1993). Waandamaagemigag onji meziniged ekidad. Mary Green zhisijiganan, Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury. Binder 2, 11.1.
4 Green, Mary. (1993). Mezininiged ekidad newen Obikwanan. Mary Green zhisijiganan, Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury. Binder 2, 46.1.
Text by Kaylee Sova
Zhibiigan owa Kaylee Sova
