Goddess

Abstract

ACMI’s Goddess: Power, Glamour, Rebellion is an aptly titled celebration of women and their triumphs in the screen industry. The exhibition, which will remain in Melbourne until October, was curated to honour the trailblazing women of the film industry, those who embraced their power, disrupted stereotypes and challenged norms. It features a vast collection of costumes and artefacts from across cinema history, presenting women in the screen industry as empowered revolutionaries, and yet as intrinsically feminine, and ever glamorous. The exhibition opens, rather expectedly, with a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, her iconic rendition of ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’ in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and the hot-pink satin dress in which she performed. A video montage of homages performed by Madonna, Margot Robbie, Kylie Jenner and others is projected behind three appropriately hot-pink costumes: a jazzy outfit worn by First Nations actress Elaine Crombie in the ABC comedy series Kiki and Kitty, a jumpsuit worn by Robbie in Birds of Prey, and a gown worn by model Winnie Harlow. This introduction embodies many of Goddess’s key themes, including the dual beauty and power of femininity, the notion of legacy, the evolution of gender ideals, and not least a celebration of the colour pink. Goddess’s focus is expansive, unfolding thematically as it stretches across decades and national cinemas, a breadth which honours the diversity of women and their stories both on and off the screen. The exhibition’s design evokes the highly feminine space of an old Hollywood dressing room, as the soft pink walls, luxe love seats, subtle lighting and abundant mirrors create a sensual and welcoming atmosphere. Goddess pays careful attention to matters of race, paying tribute to a diverse array of actresses from disparate national cinemas. However, ACMI’s proclivity for empowerment-focused language, and the exhibition’s focus on triumphant women who are presented as having vanquished racism, risk downplaying the very real, destructive consequences of such prejudice. This, of course, is difficult to avoid given the exhibition’s uplifting nature, and Goddess does feature notably political, and surprisingly rare, discussions of race in cinema. For instance, a tribute to Dorothy Dandridge celebrates her defiance of racial stereotypes and success as the first Black woman to be nominated for an Oscar for Best