MOCAH’s ’40 Over 40′ Shows Age, Beauty Not Mutually Exclusive

The Museum of Cultural Arts Houston opens an exhibit March 17, 2012, called “40 over 40—A collection of black and white nudes.”

It celebrates the beauty of women regardless of age, shape, size, color, background or circumstance.

The exhibit is the work of photographer Jeff Myers taking photographs of 40 women volunteers who were over 40 years and older spanning a four-year timeframe.

Myers photographed the first 40 women that volunteered.

“I did not photograph fifty and cherry pick the prettiest women. I photographed what was presented to me and stopped at 40, regardless of shape, or race. For my part I made it as simple as possible, a single light source on black seamless paper printed on archival paper, using archival inks. No photos were retouched.”

The collection came about after Myers was asked to take a nude photo of a friend. When the friend found it a life-changing experience, the word spread and the project began.

“Being able to capture the spirit that exists in women over forty has been a journey that I will never forget,” Myers told MOCAH.

Most of the volunteers were from the Houston area and all of them were “every day women,” including breast cancer survivors, wives, moms and others wanting to mark an event like this off of their “bucket list.”

Women said of the experience: “I did this for me. Before this all I saw were my flaws. This has made me proud to grow older and show the world that beauty is ageless. True beauty comes from within.”

The exhibit runs March 17 to April 17, 2012.

Image: MOCAH

Tags: art, Jacqueline Wilson, over 40, women beauty

Category: Over 40