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Biography

Simmons is an American filmmaker, photographer and artist born 1949. She is part of The Pictures Generation which includes Cindy Sherman, Barbara Kruger and Louise Lawler. She received a BFA from Tyler’s school of art in 1971. Her work tends to be feminist inspired and a social commentary on society’s view on women.

Analysis

This image is called ‘Woman Opening Refrigerator/ Milk to the Right,’ it’s from Simmon’s series Early Colour Interiors taken from 1978-79. This was during the second wave of feminist such as the take back the night campaign in 1976. Conceptually the doll is meant to represent the classic housewife which is given away by her outfit and hairstyle. She photographs this doll in multiple constructed scenes of her doing stereo-typically household chores.  The concept was to demonstrate the daily life of a housewife but also to illustrate the loneliness and isolation felt by some housewives. I think this is shown by the fact that in most of the images she is the only doll and using lighting and shadows. I think she intentionally kept those shadows in order to symbolise the darkness, isolation and emptiness some housewives feel. The focal point of the image is the doll in the center. She’s a walking stereotype. With the haircut, flowery dress and the whole kitchen mise-en-scene around her she’s a stereotypical housewife that Simmons grew up surrounded by.

Compared to Bright’s work, Simmons work doesn’t just focus on the subject, the doll, herself. She uses a wider aperture to capture the housewife doll’s ‘natural environment’ in order to get her message across. Whereas, Bright solely focus on the doll’s appearance. Their difference of subject makes sense. Simmon’s who is 70 would have grown up with vintage doll houses so it makes sense she’d focus on that. Bright is 53 so would have grown up with Barbie’s.