LIFT: Women Powerlifters
Photographer: Liane Brandon
Exhibit Title: LIFT: Women Powerlifters
Location: United States
This series of photographs documents four women powerlifters - women who defy physical and cultural stereotypes. The women in these photographs range in age from 27 to 63 and they are smart, interesting and strong. They have all won regional, national or world competitions.
Lodrina is a forensic computer expert who weighs 123 pounds and can lift (an astonishing) 385 pounds. She represented the United States at the World Championships in 2015. Jessica has a bachelor’s degree in kinesthesiology and holds a New England RPS state record. Candace is a mom, the lead singer in a band, and holds the UPA world deadlift record. Jane, the oldest, is a grandmother who went to Wellesley College. She can lift over 400 pounds and holds four world records.
I have always been concerned with the disconnect between public perception, media portrayal and reality — especially in the characterization of women.
I became acutely aware of this many years ago when I started out as a documentary filmmaker and made some of the first films of the women’s movement. My recent work as a still photographer has covered a wide range of subjects. However, the lingering issue of media stereotypes and women has never been far from my mind.
Several years ago I learned about the world of powerlifting when I joined a gym and began working with a trainer who is involved in the sport. Having been an athlete myself, I was intrigued by the women I met. They seemed to defy all cultural assumptions.
The challenge for me as a documentary photographer is to create images that both convey the physical nature of the sport and evoke the spirit of these women. While they are quite literally strong, I also see their physical strength as a metaphor for all the qualities I respect in women who have made a total commitment to any endeavor: courage, conviction, dedication, and perseverance. As in my earliest films, I delight in documenting women who test limits, cross boundaries, and challenge stereotypes.
email: brandon@educ.umass.edu
website: http://www.lianebrandon.com
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