What defines the “woman” experience?

Girls and women must constantly define and redefine their realities.

For girls and women, the definitions of femininity are ever-evolving. Her Perpetual Becoming is an exhibit by current and recent graduate students in the Image Arts program at the Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University. This exhibition is at the Artspace TMU in partnership with the Emilia Amalia mobile feminist library. They use creative expression through imagery to explore femininity in society today and the circumstances that consistently question femininity.

The landscape of society regarding issues of diversity and inclusion is ever-changing, and the consequences for women are heavy. Even more critical, the creators of these pieces are women with intersecting identities, which changes how we all experience womanhood. Grace Csizmadia, a third-year Image Arts student at Toronto Metropolitan University, touched on this when speaking about her work; “Girlhood to me is one of the most intersectional experiences, and there’s no right or wrong. I’ve always felt this way, and I try not to compare myself to others because being a woman is such a complex and diverse thing.”

One of Grace Csizmadia’s works shown in the exhibit. It shows women in a bathroom helping each other.

Csizmadia explores girlhood through the girl bathroom experience. Although almost every girl talks about the girl bathroom experience, that experience is different for every woman. For some, it’s the best thing ever; for others, it’s just an awkward, forgettable experience, and for others, it's an experience they would rather forget.

Through their works, you see how the women in this exhibit have varied experiences and how they interpret girlhood and womanhood through different lenses. Each one of them projects their lived experiences in meaningful and impactful ways.

A note written by Mariah Barlow reflecting the different phases and transitions she and her sister experience.

Mariah Barlow, a recent graduate of the Image Arts program at Toronto Metropolitan University, had an interesting perspective: sisterhood. Sisterhood is a vital part of the life journey of almost every girl and woman, either sisterhood by blood or sisterhood formed through friendship. Barlow tells the story of sisterhood through her relationship with her sister, reflecting on how the eleven-year age gap has defined their relationship. How have they built a bond even while experiencing life in different phases? As her sister continues to grow, she looks forward to common ground and being able to do more things together; “I’m very excited to have common ground. I have always craved the familiarity that sisters closer in age have, liking the same things and doing the same things.”

Ultimately, we see how different yet connected these experiences are. Whether it’s a girl giving you a compliment in the bathroom on a night out or a friend and sister who are constant supporters, it reflects our interconnectedness and community. The one thing that defines womanhood is that women always stand for each other.

This piece was initially written as part of my Fashion Journalism class coursework in my final year at university. While this exhibit is no longer available at the physical gallery, it can be found on the gallery website and on the individual pages of the artists.