A selection of photos from the exhbition
(Picture: Emily Stein)Nursery rhymes might suggest girls are just “sugar and spice and all things nice” but an exhibition now open in London is challenging that dated stereotype.
‘Girls Are Made of...’ showcases the “true” face of four-year-olds - from the curious to the courageous to the mischievious - as photographed by award-winning photographer Emily Stein.
“I really wanted to capture all the behaviours, contradictions, energy, purity, beauty and emotions of being four,” she explained.
“It’s a really significant time in a girl’s life; sitting between the toddler years and just before the structure of school begins, with the world opening up a little more every day, in all of its exciting glory. It’s a magical year in time, that was truly a joy to document.”
The exhibition was launched by organisation Girlguiding on Tuesday, which marked International Day of the Girl.
Selected images from the series will be on display at Girlguiding’s London headquarters on Buckingham Palace Road, both in the windows and in a gallery open to the public.
It comes as Girlguiding - which comprises groups Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers, that are specifically aimed at girls - lowers the entry age for its youngest group, Rainbows, from five to four.
Emma Guthrie, Assistant Chief Guide, said: “Four-year-old girls have spent a huge portion of their lives in a pandemic, missing out on essential play, exploration, confidence building and friendships, and parents are keen for them to make up for lost time.
“Too often girls are still expected to be sugar and spice and all things nice, but working with girls and young women for over 100 years, we know they are made of so much more.
“We’re extremely happy to warmly welcome four-year-olds to the organisation and start them on their Girlguiding journey – opening up a community where girls can always be free to be themselves. Free to be four.”
Girlguiding is also encouraging people to celebrate what they were like at the age of four, by sharing their own ‘face of four’ photos on Instagram and Facebook, using the hashtag #GirlsAreMadeOf… and adding their own word to best describe their image.
‘Girls Are Made Of...’ will run for two weeks from Tuesday, October 11. Admission is free.
You can follow the #GirlsAreMadeOf… campaign, view the online gallery or share a picture of yourself at four by visiting Girlguiding on Instagram.com/girlguiding, and at facebook.com/girlguidinguk.
