What defines power? Who actually has power – and why? And what does their power carry?

Decades ago, women were integral to the Surrealist movement – often as muse, subject, and romantic partner – and yet they are rarely remembered as being talented artists in their own right. Instead, women were depicted as ”goddesses and witches,” both by others and in their own work. Do these words epitomize independence? Or do these words confine someone? Did their roles give them tangible power? In the 1980s, these themes resurface in Sara Charlesworth’s Objects of Desire series, isolating images of people and objects in vibrant fields of colors. Does this magnify the object’s power or does removing the context neutralize it?

For Kate Hundley Resort 2024, bold colors, the toughness of leather, metal hardware, and shapes with strong movement exude power. Corsets, once disguised and restrictive, are worn visibly as a trompe l’oeil detail. Structured silhouettes become a form of art all on their own, but its who wears them that makes these garments powerful.

Today, power comes in many forms. Strength comes from within.