Talk Aesthetics of Women in Bamberg: Discussion about Clean Girl, Selfcare and Control
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An evening about body images, norms, and the aesthetics of our present
In conjunction with the exhibition Clean Girls, the Bamberg Art Association invites you to a talk that goes far beyond a classical accompaniment discussion. At the center is the question of how self-care, lifestyle, and digital self-representation become societal expectations – and how these images of femininity, naturalness, and health can be read, criticized, and rethought.
When beauty becomes the norm
The talk addresses a phenomenon that is long more than a social media trend: the aesthetics of the Clean Girl. What appears at first glance to be about ease and order reveals, under a cultural-critical perspective, a dense web of normalization, discipline, and visibility. It is precisely in this that the strength of this literary-cultural evening lies: it makes the invisible mechanisms behind images visible.
A dialogue between art, research, and cultural practice
With Dr. Elenora Cagol from the Municipal Museums of Bamberg, Dr. Mareike Spychala from the University of Bamberg, and Hanna Köhler from the Cultural Space Bamberg e.V./Distel, different perspectives come together. The conversation connects art historical, cultural scientific, and socio-political approaches for a precise analysis of the present. Thus, a reading atmosphere in the broader sense arises: a concentrated, intellectual format that leads the audience and speakers into a lively author encounter with ideas, images, and interpretations.
Between self-care and self-optimization
Particularly intriguing is the ambivalence of the topic. Self-care appears as care and liberation, but simultaneously also as pressure for constant optimization. The visual self-representation in digital spaces intensifies this tension. The talk therefore not only inquires about beauty, but also about power, representation, and belonging. Who speaks? Who is seen? And who remains excluded from the picture?
Diversity as an aesthetic and political challenge
In the context of the exhibition, the event focuses on queer, non-normative, and resistant perspectives. Here, the evening unfolds its cultural relevance: it thinks of beauty not as a rigid category, but as a contested field in which identities, bodies, and life realities are made visible or marginalized. This makes the talk a pointed contribution to the current discourse on contemporary art and societal norms.
The exhibition as a resonance space
The encounter at the city gallery Villa Dessauer fits into the larger framework of the exhibition Clean Girls - Sophia Süßmilch and Cathrin Hoffmann. There, two artistic positions intersect that question the body as an image field of the present. The talk expands this perspective with theoretical depth and cultural sharpness – an evening for all who want to not just view art, but think along with it.
Conclusion: A clever, current, and inspiring talk
Those interested in body images, feminist perspectives, visual culture, and the language of the present will experience an evening in Bamberg filled with analytical clarity and atmospheric density. The talk invites participants to question aesthetic norms and experience the exhibition from new angles. Be sure to attend live and follow this discussion on-site.
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