Some truly inspiring women.
Many artists inspire me, even fascinate me. Among them are some incredible women who I’ve admired for years. I love them not only for their amazing work, but also for what these women exude. They convey strength, power, genius and independence, and all of them have managed to make their mark in a society where almost every field is dominated by men.
Virginia Woolf
If you know me or have read any of my previous articles, then you know that I’m a huge Virginia Woolf fan. I discovered her work when one of my teachers advised me to read ‘A Room of One’s Own’ when I was an art student. I knew nothing about her before that. So I read that book, which is about women needing money and a room of their own to create.
I was immediately won over by her words. This book is definitely timeless and so intelligent. Over time, I’ve read other books by Virginia Woolf and researched to find out more about her. I read her diary a few years ago and even though she seems quite nasty at times, I loved her even more. I even visited her house in Rodmell and it was a real treat.
However, I don’t like all her books. To say otherwise would be a total lie. But I do like most of her work: I like the way she has brought something new to literature, how her books often deal with ordinary stories while giving us some really deep insights, the way she talks about the relationship between men and women, the inequality between them, and I also like the fact that a lot of her ideas are about deceptive appearances.
I also think that her personal life is deeply moving. Yes, she was brought up in a fairly wealthy family, but she had some horrific experiences: the death of many family members, the sexual abuse by her half-brothers, the many episodes of depression, and so on. But on the other hand, it’s hard not to be fascinated by her beautiful relationship with Leonard Woolf, her personality, her trips, her connection with her sister Vanessa Bell, her relationship with Vita Sackville-West, her circle of friends, or her love for places like London or Monks House. All these elements, whether sad or wonderful, make her life fascinating. In fact, I’d love to see a film based on it (I’ve already watched ‘The Hours’ and ‘Vita and Virginia’, but I’d like something centred on her life from start to finish).
Siouxsie Sioux
When I was at high school, I discovered Siouxsie and the Banshees thanks to Myspace. At the time I was listening to bands like Blink-182, Sum 41 and Pleymo, and the songs of Siouxsie and the Banshees were more than a discovery for me, I’d even dare to say they changed my taste (even though I still like Blink-182) and made me grow up a bit, as if it were more ‘adult music’. I mean, listen to songs like ‘Painted bird’ or ‘Overground’ and you’ll know what I’m talking about. Their songs deal with serious subjects and have the power to stay in your mind even when you stop listening to them. They are literally haunting. (I’ve never taken the time to listen to The Creature, I know I should be ashamed hehe).
The band’s songs have made a huge contribution to the music industry, inspiring artists such as Joy Division, PJ Harvey, Radiohead, Florence & The Machine, Depeche Mode and many more. I also think that Siouxsie Sioux’s voice, look and attitude have shown people, not just women, that we can be anything we want and do anything we want, that there should be no restrictions, only fun.
It’s safe to say that Siouxsie Sioux epitomises the committed, audacious, cultured, independent, attractive yet slightly strange and talented woman. She literally led the band and has become a true icon that the world will never forget.
I have her solo album ‘Mantaray’ in my record collection, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the band’s albums. The songs aren’t bad, but I didn’t find what I feel when I listen to albums like The Scream. Still, I was very sad when I heard last year that she had gone on tour and that I would have been able to see her live. It must be such an experience to listen to her and see her sing!
Cindy Sherman
Cindy Sherman is a very famous artist, best known for her series of self-portraits. I love the way she has constantly found new ways of creating photographs that show how women are perceived in our society and culture. We all know that a lot of artists seem to create the same thing over and over again. But if you look at Cindy Sherman’s work, it’s quite the opposite.
For example, her Untitled Film Stills show how women always play the same roles in films, her Fashion series shows women who are the opposite of the models we usually see because it is about the way women are subjected to certain diktats, and, through the selfies she posts on Instagram, we can see a kind of mockery of what we see on social networks (even if she doesn’t seem to consider this work as artistic). Her series are always very different from one another, but there is an unmistakable and incredible link between them. What’s more, I admire the way each image makes you think about the whole process she goes through to create it. How she imagines each image and finds the best place, the best accessories and the best clothes to tell the story she wants to tell.
In short, Cindy Sherman knows how to create striking and stimulating images, while always recreating herself (a funny phrase, as we never discover her true personality through her self-portraits).
Alison Mosshart
I discovered The Kills at the same time as Siouxsie and The Banshees and I was immediately seduced by their songs. In fact, ‘Keep on your mean side’ immediately became one of my favourite albums. With this album, Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince have proved that you don’t need a lot of instruments to make good music. It’s a simple but brilliant kind of rock. Alison Mosshart’s voice fits perfectly with Jamie Hince’s guitar. I also fell in love with ‘No Wow’ and ‘Midnight Boom’, but the albums that followed didn’t appeal to me as much. I find them less ‘authentic’.
I also like ‘The Dead Weather’, a band notably composed of Jack White and Alison Mosshart. It’s rock, but it’s different from the music of The Kills. Alison Mosshart’s collaborations and solo songs are also very good, because she manages to keep that special voice and atmosphere.
I’ve been lucky enough to see The Kills live twice and I’ve seen a huge difference between the two concerts. The first time was in 2008 and I loved it! The atmosphere was great and Alison Mosshart sang and walked like she was a lion in a cage. It was hypnotic. I saw them again in 2011, and this time I was a little disappointed. Alison Mosshart had formed The Dead Weather between those two tours, and I think the way she sang with them had an impact on the way she sang live with The Kills now. I mean, she was more into screaming (although that’s too strong a word for what I mean) than singing. Yet I still enjoy all of Alison Mosshart’s musical projects. There’s something about her music that I’ll never tire of. I’d even like to see The Kills again if they were touring near my home.
I fell in love with Alison Mosshart’s style when I was in high school, because she looked really cool: her long black hair, the fringes over her eyes, her skinny jeans and her checked shirts. In fact, I liked her look so much that I did my best to look like her (I was a teenager, okay?! ;)). Now I’m almost 37, so you can imagine that I don’t try to look like her any more, I’m just myself and I only wear things that I really like. That’s one of the several things I’ve learned from these women: being yourself is better and healthier than trying to copy someone else.
I’ve always loved Alison Mosshart because, like Siouxsie Sioux, she’s a powerful, seductive and talented woman. She brought her uniqueness to rock music. I also like the fact that she practices different artistic media: photography, painting, writing, and in each of them you can feel her punk touch. You also get the impression that her works are inspired by each other.
I decided to talk about these women because they’ve been inspiring me for many years now, and I’m sure they’ll continue to do so forever. I wouldn’t say they’re role models, but I find something in them that makes me say ‘you can do it’.
