At the Advocate, we love “difficult” women. The label is often applied to women who speak their minds without apology, have sincere desires, and are tenacious in reaching their goals — all things we really admire in people. But only as they apply to women are these qualities debated, often, as positive or negative attributes. In an attempt to expose these questions and to what degree society values strong women, Tony Scherman has created a series of portraits of difficult women. In these pieces Scherman plays with which areas of a woman to hide and expose, which to obscure with blobs of paint, and which to frame. In doing so, he asks us all to consider how we conceptualize and understand difficult women.
Difficult Women by Tony Scherman. Through Jan. 29. Brown Fine Arts Center, Smith College, Northampton, (413) 585-2190.
