Viva Lewes Issue #162 March 2020

ON THIS MONTH: EXHIBITION
Elspeth Beard, First Woman (UK) to ride a motorcycle around the
world, May 2015
Kelly Gallagher, CBE. First Woman to win British Winter Paralympic
Gold, November 2016
Rt Hon. Baroness Betty Boothroyd OM PC, First Woman Speaker of the
House of Commons, April 2010
surprised when I asked to
photograph them. Kim Cotton,
the first woman to be a surrogate
mum back in 1985, said:
‘Why would you want me? I’m
just someone who had a baby.’
There were a few Firsts that
I didn’t capture, like architect
Zaha Hadid who sadly passed
away a week before our booked
session. Helen Sharman didn’t
want to be remembered as the
first female astronaut because
she was more proud of being
the first British astronaut. And
Margaret Thatcher never responded
to my request: I think
she wanted to be remembered
as a Prime Minister, not the
first female Prime Minister.
But 95 per cent of those
I approached – once I’d
contacted them – said yes
straight away. I think they
felt they had a responsibility
to show how far we as women
have come and to be role
models for the next generation.
It was never about ego; it was
much bigger than that. All the
women shared a great sense of
humour and sense of perspective;
they were confident in
their abilities without taking
themselves too seriously.
I’ve had to remortgage my
house to fund this project. I
tried to get funding but, while
corporations were interested,
none actually came up with
the money. And I didn’t want
to compromise after ten years’
work. The portraits are life size
and immersive: over a metre
high; without glass or mount,
the photograph comes right up
to the edge of the frame. I want
the viewer to feel as though the
women are walking out to meet
them and asking – in a friendly
way – ‘what are you going to be
first in?’ Nione Meakin
Anita Corbin: 100 First Women
Portraits is at Brighton Museum
& Art Gallery until June 7th,
brightonmuseums.org.uk
Monique Simmonds OBE, First Woman Director of the Kew Innovation
Unit, April 2014
Baroness Patricia Scotland PC QC, First Woman Attorney General,
July 2011
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