Elizabeth Suflower's photographs are a testament to the critical role sex workers played in advancing the feminist movement from a counterculture ideal to a nationwide conversation.
Through a series of unique storylines, Elizabeth Sunflower's images weave together to paint a larger narrative, showcasing the avant-garde dancers and models who emerged from the underground and normalized sex at a time when marginalized communities were misunderstood and less tolerated. These photographs illustrate a clear parallel between the women's liberation movement of the 60s and 70s and the ongoing struggle for equal rights today.
While the primary focus of these photographs may be on the nude figures and expressions of iconic exotic dancers like Carol Doda and Lola, they also expose the familiar heteronormativity of "the male gaze." Sunflower's images demonstrate the societal disparity between men and women, highlighting the contrasts and double standards of the time. She captures the beauty of the female form while displaying the hypocrisy inherent in a male-dominated socio-political world.
Elizabeth Sunflower was a prolific photojournalist based in San Francisco, documenting alternative pop culture in the 60s and 70s. Her work primarily focused on photographing news and pop culture beginning in the late 1960s and continued actively into the 1990s. This exhibit is the first display of her work since her passing in 2008.
Naked Seduction is presented by DUPLEX in partnership with the Retro Photo Archive.
