Margaret
LeJeune

Application Portfolio

The Roman goddess of the hunt was Diana. She was praised for her strength, athletic grace, beauty and hunting skills. Her vigor and health were admired and her strength and protection was sought for young children and women in childbirth.

This series explores the modern notions of women hunters and the issues of gender, power and representation. Each image depicts a very personal representation of the sitter, made evident by the setting. By photographing in each woman's home or hunting lodge I create a dynamic that questions the relationship between the domestic sphere, traditionally the women's place, and the hunting world, typically a masculine realm. The attributes of Diana, that of the bow and arrow, hunting dog, stag and animal pelts, further express this dichotomy.

The images in this series were captured across the United States with a large-format 4 x 5 camera. The film was then scanned and prints were created using lightjet technology. Initial contact was established with the hunters via cold calls to hunting and gun clubs and by word-of-mouth. This work-in-progress series was awarded the 2010 Curator's Choice Award at Center, Santa Fe by Roxana Marcoci, the curator of photographs at the MOMA and Best In Show at the International Women In Photo¬¬graphy Exhibition at the 1212 Gallery.