A woman in her prime

On feminist issues, fortunately, we have made a lot of progress in a country like Spain during the 21st century. There has been a real change in the sensibility of Western people and institutions, the majority of the population has understood that it was necessary to work in the same direction, all in unity. Although there is still no true equality, much has been done for it. The interesting thing is that once this transformation has begun, it is pertinent to refine the reasons to pay attention to so that energy is not dispersed or so it seems that something has been achieved or we have reached the goal, because feminism, like freedoms or rights, are social conquests that must be underpinned every day. If we are careless and let our guard down, we retreat. Even more so now, when techno-capitalist forces led by Elon Musk after the arrival of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States, are beginning to weaken democratic pillars that seemed solid.

Directing attention to a debate on ageism, as Acha-Kutscher does in these works on today's women in their maturity (be careful, the stigma is so great that it is usual for many professionals from a certain age to prefer not to say their date of birth), means raising new demands that are rarely dealt with or sotto voce. The attitude of asking supposes the appearance of consciousness, said María Zambrano, which is why it is so important to bring to light these concerns that entail other parallel issues such as the sublimation of appearance, the demand for an untainted presence or the consideration of female roles when passing an age. It is happening now that activists and thinkers in their fifties and sixties from various continents are reflecting on this matter, which was a content to be avoided until recently because no one knew how to approach it. For women who have had children, this period would be the best because they are freed from that responsibility and can develop more thinking about them, especially intellectually. Over the years you have more experience because you have accumulated baggage, which is essential to take advantage of the wisdom acquired. The attractiveness of a woman in her fullness goes beyond her image, although advertising, the media and social networks are continuously insisting on exalting that desideratum as if it were a valid paradigm.

We must review the iconographic canon of today's women, be attentive to what underlies, ways of treating the feminine from a less sexualized vision are emerging; normative beauty has evolved and has become plural, it should not focus so much on physical appearance or on the exaltation of youth, redounding to the stereotype leads us to a regression. We have to stop and think about what we see, get to the bottom and transcend the surface. True attractiveness has no age, it relates to someone who has personality, character and confidence to act without masks being as they are. Broadening the spectrum and relativizing beauty means leaving behind a position of the past where women have been objectified from male desire. Photography in the 21st century no longer depends on posing or the camera, it is a primary tool for exploring alternatives for visual thinking. Successful tiktokers and influencers will soon be replaced by improved substitutes created by AI. They are such a predictable cliché, that it is very easy to copy, they represent just the opposite path to which we should aspire as a society, naturalness and authenticity cannot be imitated.

Old age is perceived as something distant from older people, we do not know when that stage begins, which seems not to concern us and will never reach us, hence the need to investigate from contemporary art in arguments like this one focused on everything we are and do not notice. Interestingly, it is a main theme of life that gives the feeling that it is always aimed at others. This handbook of projects by María María Acha-Kutscher helps to create a new imaginary about the passage of time around the female condition. She does so with subtlety and intelligence, suggesting without raising her voice or imposing anything. Above all, catching the gaze to make us think through the eyes.