Girl, defined:

Girlhood is defined by many elements.  Even before birth, cultural expectations are forced upon the girl child, which she must negotiate before she truly understands them.   Her personality and talents are less important than familial and social responsibilities. The onset of puberty, while a clear physical marker from girl to woman, brings emotional and psychological changes that may take a lifetime to understand and appreciate.

‘Girl/gurl/gyrle’ was originally used to describe a child of either sex and did not specifically refer to females until roughly the 16th century. Although obscure, the root connotation of ‘girl’ is common in most languages, meaning unmarried or sexually inexperienced female as well as servant or slave. Since childhood itself was only acknowledged in the mid 19th century, the cultural meanings inscribed are more historically ingrained than the word used to describe them.  For us, ‘girl’ is not defined as property, victim or the opposite of ’boy’.  It is both our subject and point of reference.

What art history gives us primarily is a record of the sanctioned behaviors of girls by individual artists (mostly men), families, communities, religious organizations and governments.  Today, they are produced by advertising and media companies acting on behalf of maximum profit rather than ethical accountability.  The girls’ points of view are not likely a consideration as their physical and financial security is firmly out of their control.  Let’s take time to look and try to understand,remember and respect their role in human history.