WOMEN POWER. The Female Universe Through the Lens of Magnum Photos: From Post-War to Present Day
The Villa Bassi Rathgeb Museum in Abano Terme is proud to present WOMEN POWER: The Female Universe Through the Lens of Magnum Photos, From Post-War to Present Day—a powerful photographic exhibition curated by Walter Guadagnini and Monica Poggi. Drawing from the iconic archive of Magnum Photos, the show examines the evolving role of women over the last seventy years, tracing their paths toward empowerment and highlighting the social transformations that have shaped female identity across generations.
Produced by CAMERA – Italian Center for Photography in partnership with Magnum Photos and promoted by the Municipality of Abano Terme – Villa Bassi Rathgeb Museum, in collaboration with CoopCulture, WOMEN POWER offers a dual perspective: showcasing both the unique vision of women photographers who have documented the world through their lenses, and the stories of women captured as central subjects—powerful witnesses to personal and collective struggles, victories, and everyday realities.
Organized into six thematic sections, the exhibition explores areas such as family life, coming of age, identity, beauty and fame, political activism, and conflict. Each theme is represented through works by leading Magnum photographers, including Inge Morath, Eve Arnold, Olivia Arthur, Myriam Boulos, Bieke Depoorter, Nanna Heitmann, Susan Meiselas, Lúa Ribeira, Alessandra Sanguinetti, Marilyn Silverstone, and Newsha Tavakolian. These international voices—ranging from pioneering figures to emerging talents—document diverse historical and geographical settings, from intimate portraits of Marilyn Monroe to the female fighters of Colombia’s FARC movement.
The exhibition invites visitors into a dynamic exchange of perspectives, styles, and generations, creating a rich and unconventional dialogue. Despite their differences, the photographs are united by shared narratives of emotion, struggle, and resilience—reflected in the presence and posture of the w
omen depicted, who become icons of personal and collective emancipation.
While the spotlight is firmly on women’s contributions to photography, WOMEN POWER also features compelling works by renowned male photographers such as Robert Capa, Bruce Davidson, Elliott Erwitt, Rafal Milach, Paolo Pellegrin, and Ferdinando Scianna. Their images provide critical insights into the lives of women and their battles for rights and recognition, adding depth to the collective story.
The exhibition also offers an important reflection on the representation of the female body—captured in both private moments and public action. Here, women’s physical presence becomes a powerful metaphor for resistance, resilience, and transformation—embodying not just individual identities, but the strength of an entire movement.
WOMEN POWER. The Female Universe Through the Lens of Magnum Photos: From Post-War to Present Day
through September 21, 2025
Villa Bassi Rathgeb Museum in Abano Terme – Padua – Italy
More info:
https://www.museovillabassiabano.it/
https://camera.to/en/mostre/women-power-at-abano-terme/
(cover picture by Newsha Tavakolian)
