Viva Brighton Issue #85 March 2020

EXHIBITION
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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 year’s
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?’
As told to Nione Meakin
Anita Corbin: 100 First Women
Portraits is at Brighton Museum
& Art Gallery until June 7th.
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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