Our Bodies Have Been Bridges Review: Riveting Portraits 2026

Our Bodies Have Been Bridges at Autograph in London delivers riveting portraits and tells the story of the first woman on Earth through a powerful lens. This three-person exhibition, headlined by the late Chicana artist Laura Aguilar, explores identity, visibility, and the body in ways that resonate deeply today.

Laura Aguilar: A Pioneer of Intersectional Feminist Art

In the 1990s, Laura Aguilar was living with depression. A friend took her on a road trip to New Mexico, where she made nude self-portraits in mystical landscapes. Those photographs evolved into a pivotal series shot in desert environments across the American south-west, including her notable 1996 Nature Self-Portrait – considered an early work of intersectional feminist art before the term entered academic discourse.

London gallery Autograph first worked on an exhibition of Aguilar's in 1997, the year after she made Nature Self-Portrait. This show is something of a homecoming, a generation on. Aguilar's contours, folds, and crevices sometimes disappear into the barren desert landscapes, assimilating the shapes of boulders or trees; at other times, her body is incongruous, soft flesh that can't be held by the harsh, barren conditions. These images capture the paradox of a body that is both hypervisible and ignored.

The Exhibition: Our Bodies Have Been Bridges

Several works from Nature Self-Portrait appear at the beginning of Our Bodies Have Been Bridges, Autograph's new three-person headline show. They're so quiet and minimal, shot in black and white, they'd be easy to coast past – which is partly Aguilar's point. Bodies like hers – large, queer, Chicana – had no visibility in culture at the time Aguilar made these works, while in real life her experiences were of an uncomfortable, scrutinized visibility.

The exhibition also features two other artists whose works engage with the body, landscape, and history. Together, they create a dialogue about representation and the stories we tell about the first woman on Earth and beyond.

Key Takeaways from the Exhibition

• Intersectional feminism: Aguilar's work predates academic discourse on the topic, making her a pioneer.
• Visibility and invisibility: The photographs explore the paradox of being hypervisible yet ignored.
• Landscape and body: Aguilar's self-portraits merge with nature, challenging traditional boundaries.
• Legacy: This exhibition marks a homecoming for Autograph, which first showed Aguilar's work in 1997.

Comparing Aguilar's Work with Contemporary Artists

To understand the impact of Aguilar's work, consider how it compares with other artists in the show and beyond. The table below highlights key differences and similarities. The background to this story is set out in Britain's Jazz Golden Age Through Temi Adegbayibi's Lens. A related thread runs through 24 Animals That Let Their Personalities Shine Through The Lens.

Why This Exhibition Matters

Our Bodies Have Been Bridges is not just a retrospective; it's a conversation about who gets to be seen. Aguilar's riveting portraits challenge us to look beyond the surface and consider the stories of those marginalized. The title itself suggests connection – our bodies as bridges between past and present, self and other. Earlier coverage in Fashion: latest articles shows how the argument developed. A closer look at the same subject appears in Georg Baselitz: The Heroes Review – Astonishing Paintings.

In a time when discussions about representation are more urgent than ever, this exhibition offers a timely reflection. It reminds us that art can be both personal and political, quiet and powerful. Anyone following the wider picture can start with Edge Control Art Exhibition Explores Race and Beauty. The same theme surfaces in Crush-worthy Photography, Camp Sci-Fi and Centenarian Florals: Free, which takes a different angle.

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