Out of the Picture
Where are the female architects? Women have passionately and skillfully created architectural works for centuries. History seems to have forgotten them... or have they been conscientiously erased from a male-dominated profession? The film Out of the Picture goes in search of these women, exploring their history and their outlook; it investigates why and how women have been excluded from the honour roll of architecture, and how they now are reclaiming visibility. Join us on for a screening of Out of the Picture, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.
Together with An. Ash Smolar Artist, activist, filmmaker, architect & editor of a feminist magazineAbout the film
Out of the Picture is a compelling documentary by An. Ash Smolar that sheds light on a persistent blind spot in architectural history: the structural invisibility of women. Although women have shaped cities, designed buildings, and contributed to the evolution of architecture for centuries, their names and work have often been excluded from official narratives. Through the voices, works, and life stories of more than twenty architects, as well as historians and researchers, the film reveals the mechanisms behind this exclusion; from missing archives and historiography to wage inequality, glass ceilings, and the dominance of male professional networks. Blending archival material, interviews, and animated sequences, the documentary not only uncovers erased histories but also foregrounds the strategies and solidarities through which women are reclaiming their place in the discipline today. Ultimately, Out of the Picture raises a critical question: who gets to be seen, remembered, and included in the architectural canon, and how can that frame be expanded?
