EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: ARTIST IRIS BROSCH ON FEMINISM, SHERE HITE, AND THE POWER OF THE FEMALE GAZE—FEATURED IN “THE ART OF RESISTANCE” ISSUE
The Untitled Magazine sat down with internationally acclaimed artist, photographer, filmmaker, and performance artist Iris Brosch for “THE ART OF RESISTANCE” Art Edition of The Untitled Magazine for an exclusive interview. Created in conjunction with The Untitled Space‘s 10th-anniversary exhibition, UPRISE 2025: The Art of Resistance, Brosch’s featured work, La Poésie du Féminisme, pays tribute to pioneering feminist author and sexologist Shere Hite, celebrating her enduring legacy through a poetic fusion of portraiture and mythology. In this exclusive interview, Brosch reflects on her decades-long creative collaboration with Hite, the transformative power of feminist art, and her lifelong mission to redefine beauty, identity, and resistance through photography and performance. Read on for the full interview below, featured in the print edition, available now.
Iris Brosch, the photographer, filmmaker, and performance artist, has built a career on challenging the conventional and reimagining the feminine. Her portrait of Shere Hite, La Poésie du Féminisme, is a powerful tribute not only to Hite’s legacy as a revolutionary thinker but also to Brosch’s own lifelong commitment to redefining beauty, gender, and power through art. “This portrait of Shere Hite is a poetic exploration of feminine strength and vulnerability,” Brosch explains. “It is a double exposure, blending a portrait of Shere in a torso nude with the image of the Greek goddess Nike, symbolizing victory.”
Brosch’s extensive body of work spans fashion, fine art, film, and performance, appearing in the pages of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, and campaigns for major brands such as Hugo Boss, Pantene, and Tommy Hilfiger. Yet her most resonant work exists beyond commercial gloss, rooted in the radical—a deep interrogation of femininity, empowerment, and spiritual connection. She pioneered “photo performance,” a medium that fuses traditional image-making with participatory, often live-action elements. Through this approach, Brosch reclaims visual space for women, celebrating diversity and feminine strength outside patriarchal paradigms.
Her work has consistently confronted and celebrated gender and identity, as seen in major projects such as Divinita: The Birth of the Black Venus, presented at the 2005 Venice Biennale—a striking multimedia performance on feminine identity. In Erotic Enlightenment (2009), she explored sensuality and self-discovery through a feminist lens, while Women and Nature (2013) examined the symbiosis between womanhood and the environment. Her 2014 project L’Uomo turned her lens toward masculinity, interrogating its definitions and offering a visual counterpoint to her previous focus on feminine archetypes. More recently, her politically engaged photo performances and films, such as Gaia (2019) and Trilogy: A Warning for the 21st Century (2022), explore ecological awareness, spirituality, and global crises.
It was in Paris in the early 1990s—a time of personal and political refuge for both women—that Brosch met Shere Hite, the pioneering author and sexologist whose feminist writing had sparked international acclaim and controversy. “Shere Hite, renowned for her groundbreaking research on female sexuality, was a true pioneer of the feminist movement,” says Brosch. “Her work, particularly The Hite Report, which sold over 50 million copies worldwide, democratized the conversation around female sexuality.”
Hite’s rigorous exploration of women’s intimate lives challenged patriarchal science and culture. Her insistence on centering women’s voices and lived experiences in discussions of sexuality disrupted mainstream narratives—so much so that the backlash forced her into exile from the U.S. “Originally from the United States, Shere was forced to flee her home due to numerous death threats after the publication of her research,” Brosch recalls.
What began as a portrait assignment through German Elle soon developed into a profound creative partnership. “Together, we created a vast body of visual work, a dialogue that was both fitting and profound—feminist and scientist—capturing a visual continuation through photography of Shere’s groundbreaking thinking,” Brosch reflects. “In these images, I sought to capture the essence of a woman who not only changed the world but also transformed how we think about sexuality.”
Their collaborations included editorial features for The New York Times, Marie Claire, and Frankfurter Allgemeine, among others, built on trust, intimacy, and a shared mission. Brosch recalls working with analog photography, developing prints in her own darkroom—often with Hite present. “There was something magical about the darkroom—the way the images slowly emerged from the chemicals, like they were coming to life,” she shares. “Shere was always a great inspiration during these moments, offering her thoughts, wisdom, and energy… it became an artistic and philosophical exchange between us.”
In La Poésie du Féminisme, Brosch weaves myth and reality, science and symbolism. “Shere’s spirit is depicted and merged with the image of the Greek goddess Nike, symbolizing triumph,” she explains. “Although society has tried to silence her message, particularly in today’s political climate, Shere Hite’s impact transcends these attempts. Her ideas continue to empower and guide those seeking personal freedom and collective change.”
Hite’s insights into the sociopolitical power of sexuality remain as urgent today as ever. “Her writings challenge societal norms, urging the next generation to break free from constraints and build a more open and compassionate world,” Brosch asserts. “Her work is the key to happiness for our society and the future we are building—female attributes like beauty and poetry are the foundation.”
Brosch’s broader artistic mission echoes Hite’s radical vulnerability and intellectual courage. “I believe it is important not to fear embracing female attributes and a feminine vision, even in a world largely shaped by men, where women’s ideas are often viewed as decoration rather than powerful artistic tools,” she states. “By doing so, we can create new perspectives and build a new feminine world.”
In this powerful visual homage, Brosch does not just portray Shere Hite—she elevates her into the realm of the eternal feminine, where intellect, grace, and resistance collide. La Poésie du Féminisme is not just an artwork—it is a feminist invocation, an image of transcendence, and a reminder that the battle for bodily autonomy and truth continues.
