Webber 939 is delighted to present A forest fire between us, an exhibition curated by Charlotte Flint, of works by West Coast based photographer, lesbian sex activist, and educator Tee A. Corinne (1943-2006).
Opening this September in Los Angeles, A forest fire between us is the most extensive solo presentation of Corinne’s photographs to date. This display delves into the trailblazing work of an artist who forever shaped the history of photography; her liberating and joyful portrayals of lesbian life and lovemaking were powerful tools at a time when such representation was largely non-existent. The exhibition will present a selection of Corinne’s important erotic compositions; these images explore sexuality in all its spiritual charge, in sensual transcendence, and revel in the pleasure of baring your truest authentic self. Considering the political and social context of the 1970s and 80s during which these images were created, their intimacy takes on a radical power; their tenderness becomes a tool of activism.
At the height of the second-wave feminist movement, many women sought a life distant from patriarchal systems and embraced new ways of living close to the land. Individuals and collectives settled in rural areas, including Southern Oregon, which became home to many lesbian intentional communities. On one of these lands, Rootworks, Corinne co-facilitated a series of week-long workshops called the ‘Feminist Photography Ovulars’ held from 1979-83. During the Ovulars, participants were encouraged to unleash their imagination and experiment with image-making in a woman-centred environment, addressing the erasure of feminist photography and lesbian art history by authoring their own visual representations.
This exhibition also includes a projection of the 1976 film “Women I Love” by the pioneering lesbian experimental filmmaker Barbara Hammer (1939-2019).Through intimate fragments of her daily life, Hammer’s video features cameo portraits of Hammer’s friends and lovers, including Corinne, interweaving these with close-up shots of flowers, fruits and vegetables, and surrounding nature, into a sensual ode to queer life and love. This film can be seen as part of an interconnecting archive documenting Corinne’s personal life and artistic practice, often overlapping, and her broader political and social environments, in which her extended friends and family played a central part.
Archiving held vital significance for Corinne, who was well aware of the scarcity of documented feminist and lesbian stories. Meticulously, she preserved her own records and that of her community—a profoundly inspiring commitment that revolutionised lesbian visual culture, and made this exhibition possible.
Charlotte Flint will be in conversation with art historian, critic, and curator Amelia Jones to celebrate the opening of an exhibition of Tee A. Corinne's works at WEBBER 939.
Saturday September 14th, 4:30-5:30pm, 939 S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles CA 90021
RSVP: info@webber.gallery
