Biography First Draft 4 Oct 2012

Ginger Cook

 

Ginger Cook is turning raw memories of her life into a photographic narrative. Cook’s work delves into her intimate life story through a series of self-portraits. Sourcing personal narratives, she utilizes photography to investigate identity formation. Her self-portraits explore identity in relation to childhood experiences, gender, body image, aging and chronic illness.

She returned to college to study photography in her 50's and entered the Master's of Art program at Texas A&M Commerce in the fall of 2011.  Her work has been exhibited in Buenos Aires, Argentina; London, England; Brooklyn, New York; Middlebury, Vermont; Los Angeles, California; Longview, Rockport, Paris and Honey Grove, Texas.

Cook has won the Nadar Award for Students in the Portrait category, Julia Margaret Cameron Awards, Self-portrait division and the Graduate Excellence Award at Texas A&M Commerce. 

Ms. Cook enjoys teaching photography and passing on her knowledge of alternative printing.

Ginger lives with her photographer husband, David in Paris Texas.

Updated Artist Statement for Mid term review

Self-Portrait in a Skewed Mirror

Aging white woman with issues seems to define my work the best.  It is through the exploration of self portraits that my intimate stories are told.  Issues revolve around memories of childhood, dealing with multiple sclerosis, and changes to my body and my hair as I grow older.  The intention is to force viewers to examine their own ideas and emotions surrounding childhood, aging and body image. 

Several artists have influenced this series of self portraits.  The works of Claude Cahun, Arthur Tress, Nick Waplington, Martha Wilson,  Jo Spense, Hannah Wilkie, Mary Duffy, Nan Goldin, Ralph Eugene Meatyard,  Cindy Sherman, Frida Kahlo, Jenny Saville, Hans Bellmer and Lucian Freud have all been major influences.

Cook Ginger CV Oct 2012