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In Greek mythology Pandora was a goddess who opened a box containing all the evils of the world. All that remained in the box was the bird of hope.

This simple story forms the basis of an exhibition of work by thirty-two women, who explore its various ramifications and its relevance today. Organized by Women’s Images (the collective who produced the extremely popular Women’s Images of Men shown at Arnolfini in 1980), the exhibition uses the story of Pandora to explore “an alternative view of cultural history; spotlighting the basis of many embedded prejudices and fears affecting society at large and the individual psyche, as exemplified by the myth of Pandora’s Box.”

These alternative views are presented in a variety of forms; painting, sculpture, drawings, photography and printmaking. The collection of all these forms of expression make for a dynamic contrast in the interpretations of the myth amongst members of the group. It is by confronting this negative concept of the feminine (and Pandora is only one of many examples) that such concepts can be replaced by more positive images. The work is mainly figurative in the hope that it will increase the accessibility of the exhibition to the public.

Lynn Silverman exhibition assistant