Gestures I

The human body and its movement in space are integral elements in the work of Athena Tacha. In the early 1970s, she created a series of early conceptual photographic works where the face and body, their different functions, movement, and vital needs, are at the centre of her systematic study. In 1972 and 1973, she created "Expressions #1" and "Gestures #1," respectively, which provide a contemporary, exhaustive representation based on the selected projection of certain parts of the body. In "Expressions #1," she focuses on the facial features and systematically moves through each part (eyes, nose, mouth, tongue, eyebrows) to record as many variations of muscle contractions as possible, outlining different emotional states. In "Gestures #1," her focus is on the fingers of the hand. She moves each finger systematically and attempts to photograph all possible movements.