There are inequalities in the world. That is a fact. A variety of different circumstances create disproportionate possibilities in the lives of everyone on this planet. In regards to this, there are actually only two types of people; those who accept their opportunities as limited and those who find a way to make new opportunities for themselves. Both require acceptance but the latter also necessitate determination. This focus does not require anger or intent to subjugate others. On the contrary, it presents the idea that there is room for everyone at the table. Women have been (and are often continually) denied certain rights, freedoms, and opportunities. While some may point to physical differences as a reason for this, the argument has no grounds for justification when it comes to the Arts. There is no physical predisposition for the creative mind. SOFIA (Society of Females in Art) has been proving the truth of this with the collective’s presentations. One of SOFIA’s founding members, photographer/artist Michelle Yee is a proud and eloquent ambassador for the group’s mission/purpose as well as her own artistic statements. Denying social, cultural, and gender stereotypes, Yee presents something very modern and feminine in her work. Through her willingness to present her fears and vulnerability, she communicates the soft and personal strength that is a core of greatness and power for herself and her gender. Instead of imitating a masculine voice with her art, Michelle has cultivated and produced a series of works that contain a personal fingerprint and simultaneously portray the experience of a modern woman in a way that other females relate to and men can contemplate. Her photography communicates a human experience without a denial of who she is personally and her experiences.
Artists always seek out the company of each other. Certainly, there is an aspect that takes solace in the idea that their peers understand their plight in a world that doesn’t validate them until the moment that everyone “jumps on board.” Whether it’s surrealist painters, garage bands, or female photographers…everyone likes to feel that they are not alone. When a group of ambitious Canadian artists and business women kept meeting up at parties in the Spring of 2014, the decision was made to enter into a collective to create something that went beyond the mere social interaction of like-mindedness. These female artists were the founding members of SOFIA. This group wanted to create new opportunities for women as well as supply feedback to strengthen and foster growth within their photography community. This would prove to be a truly pivotal turn for Yee and the other members of the group. She explains, “Before SOFIA came along, I had succeeded in becoming a photographer and in making my living through photography but I didn’t have a voice. I was a hired gun. People would tell me what their objectives were and I would make it happen; but I didn’t know what my own objectives were. I lacked purpose. I’ve photographed everything: food, interiors, people, landscapes, weddings, corporate events, fashion…I’ve done it all. I’ve shot for magazines, newspapers, big corporations, and individuals. I’ve pretty much tried on every kind of photography hat I could possibly try on and yet nothing really fit. Conversely, when SOFIA was formed, I suddenly had permission to just go out and play. I could do whatever I wanted. For some reason, before SOFIA I didn’t realize that I actually didn’t need permission; I didn’t know that I always had the ability to go out and do whatever I wanted. Being part of SOFIA was catalytic for me. Even more than that, SOFIA was also the midwife to the work that finally felt meaningful for me. SOFIA became a safe space where I could make those first tentative explorations and feel supported and encouraged. It gave me the permission and guidance that I needed to really find out who I was and what my purpose was. I truly don’t know where I would be if it weren’t for SOFIA.”
One of the collective’s first goals was to plan a major show for its artists to exhibit their photography. They wanted a unifying theme for this presentation. When Michelle presented the idea of “Bad Behavior” it was more as a joke than in sincerity. Still, it managed to communicate an idea that opposed the pretense that there was a manner in which women were to present themselves publicly. It struck a unanimous chord with the SOFIA members. SOFIA’s first group exhibition took place during the 20th anniversary of the CONTACT Photography Festival, the largest photography festival in the world. Due to the well-known photographers in the SOFIA collective and the involvement of Clare Vander Meersch (a long-respected industry professional who was also the Director of Photography at the Globe and Mail, one of Canada’s leading national publications) as the curator, SOFIA’s exhibition received a tremendous amount of attention. The irony of the situation is that the photographers of SOFIA were creating some of their most revealing and intimate work and capturing an immense crowd in the process of revealing it. Meersch comments about the notoriety of Yee’s work at the festival, “Michelle’s works which were displayed at the festival proved to be a fan favorite. Her photographs captured a sense of chaos and confusion which marked the beginning of her journey towards complete and utter transformation that marked the beginning of a split from her partner of eleven years. It is a challenge for an artist to open themselves up to their audience in such a personal manner. Bad Behavior earned high praise and widespread acclaim through a variety of internationally renowned and distributed publications including: The Fader, The Toronto Star, CBC Arts, and CBC City, amongst numerous others.”
Michelle’s presentations as part of Bad Behavior were stark in their presentation of isolation, fear, and self-discovery. The series of self portraits were taken while on a 6-week trip to Costa Rica during an attempt to reconnect with herself while leaving all things familiar behind her. Yee reveals, “I created the work that I did as a matter of survival. Photography (and writing) were the only tools I had at my disposal to process all of the overwhelming emotions that I was experiencing at the time. It wasn’t my original intention to show this body of work as part of SOFIA’s group show but it also wasn’t my original intention to completely destroy my life and then attempt to rebuild it; it just happened that way. This was the work that I did and this was the work that was most meaningful and personal to me. In my own personal development as an artist and the work that I’ve created over the past year, I feel both support and adversity were necessary…especially when I was at such a tender stage in my own transformation. Great art does come out of conflict and what often makes it great is its rawness. Sometimes when things are that raw, that honest, that real, you need to be in a safe place for that work to flourish. Because it is so fragile and delicate, it needs to be nurtured and cared for. The supportive environment of SOFIA gave me a safe place to play in and the conflict gave me fire to drive my desire to create. Because I have seen, first-hand, the power that can come from creating a community that supports and elevates its members, I believe I have a responsibility to do the same for others. Ever since our group exhibition, a lot of people have asked if we would accept new members. People wanted to be a part of SOFIA and that felt awesome. It also presented a conundrum. We hadn’t planned for growth and because it is a collective with a flat organizational style, sometimes finding common ground between 8 fiercely independent and intelligent women is challenging. However, I don’t want that to stop us from fulfilling our goal of creating community and empowering women’s voices in photography. We were inspired to create other initiatives, such as the mentorship program. Hopefully that is just the start. We have some big plans for where we could go with SOFIA and what we could do for others.”