My Sister, My Self by Colleen Kenyon and Kathleen Kenyon at CPW

My Sister, My Self is a retrospective exhibition of twin sisters Colleen and Kathleen Kenyon, who were part of the 70s and ’80s movement of female artists challenging the photographic establishment.

Overview

During the 1970s and ‘80s, photographers Colleen Kenyon (American, 1951-2022) and Kathleen Kenyon (American, 1951-2023) were part of the movement of female artists who challenged the photographic establishment with innovative approaches to the medium. Colleen Kenyon was a pioneer in using hand coloring to enhance her portraits of herself and her sister in domestic settings; Kathleen Kenyon was adept at appropriating gender-specific images of women from the mass media to create ironic photomontages. Beginning in 1981, the two sisters also served as directors of the Center for Photography at Woodstock, where they continued to advocate for the advancement of women in the arts and for artists of color. My Sister, My Self is curated by art historians Tom Wolf and Laurie Dahlberg. Organized by CPW, this retrospective features the Kenyons’ most iconic works, and is presented both at CPW in Kingston, NY, and at the Kleinert/James Center in Woodstock, NY. The exhibition materials are drawn from the archives of their works now held by CPW.

My Sister, My Self: Photographs by Colleen Kenyon and Kathleen Kenyon is accompanied by a limited edition 180-page hardcover catalog, My Sister, My Self: Photographs by Colleen Kenyon and Kathleen Kenyon by Wolf and Dahlberg (CPW, 2025).

Founded in 1977 as Center for Photography at Woodstock, CPW is a not-for-profit arts organization with a dual mission: to support artists working in photography and related media, and to engage audiences through creation, discovery, and learning. At the heart of CPW’s mission is programming that is community-based, artist-centered, and collaborative. To foster public conversation around critical issues in photography, CPW offers exhibitions, workshops, artists’ residencies, and access to its Digital Media Lab. In 2022, CPW relocated from Woodstock to Kingston, NY. In January 2025, CPW will open its newly renovated headquarters–including a photography museum, and an educational and community center– in a 40,000-square-foot factory building at 25 Dederick Street.