Belgian photographer and filmmaker Eva Verbeeck is bringing a fresh look at American girlhood to Savannah. Her six‑year project, “America’s Girls, On the Edge of a Dream,” features 400 portraits of girls and young women aged six to 18 from 28 U.S. states. The monograph will be released by GOST Books and the exhibition opens at the Savannah Center for Photography, with a companion show at Cultuurcentrum De Factorij in Belgium.
From Belgian farms to American classrooms
Verbeeck grew up in Tessenderlo, a small farming town near Brussels, and says her teenage years were shaped by pop icons like Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears. She recalls devouring American magazines such as Vanity Fair and Vogue at her local bookstore, then dreaming about the United States through TV shows about high school life.
After moving to the United States in the mid‑2010s and working as a photojournalist covering politics, Verbeeck decided to shift toward a more intimate practice. In 2018 she launched the “America’s Girls” project, aiming to explore gender, identity, and the evolving notion of girlhood while challenging the often‑sexualized images of young women she saw growing up.
How the portraits were made
Using a large‑format camera that slows the pace of each shoot, Verbeeck invited participants through open calls to schools, clubs, youth groups and local organizers. She insisted that every girl choose to be photographed and that the images reflect the subjects’ own preferences. Rather than street casting, she asked each participant to bring an object or piece of clothing that represented something important to them.
Subjects range from cheerleaders and marching‑band members to Girl Scouts, athletes, and girls who simply arrived with a beloved pet or a new bike. One cover image shows 11‑year‑old Jazmine, a Savannah Sharks cheerleader, with her eyelids painted blue to match her uniform. The portrait captures her youthful confidence without the glossy, adult‑oriented glamour often associated with cheerleading.
Giving girls agency and voice
Verbeeck emphasizes that the project is about more than a visual record. She spent time talking with each participant, learning about their interests, hopes and concerns. “This generation has been photographed a lot, but they often aren’t taken seriously,” she said. “Being genuinely curious and listening to their opinions created a beautiful interaction.”
Many of the girls expressed anxiety about climate change, global conflict and the constant flow of information from platforms like Instagram and TikTok. While the conversations themselves are not reproduced in the book, they informed Verbeeck’s approach, reinforcing her belief that young women deserve deliberate, respectful attention.
Why the exhibition matters
Verbeeck hopes the series challenges historic depictions of women as passive subjects. “Traditionally, women’s names weren’t mentioned and they didn’t choose what to wear,” she explained. “Giving them agency to decide how they’re seen is an important piece of the puzzle.”
The Savannah Center for Photography will host the exhibition through the end of the year, offering local residents a chance to see how girls across the nation view themselves and their futures. A related show at De Factorij in Belgium will run concurrently, highlighting the cross‑cultural dialogue sparked by the project.
Visitors can explore the portraits in person or view selected images online through GOST Books’ website. The monograph provides a deeper look at the stories behind each photograph, preserving a moment in time when young American girls are asserting their identities on their own terms.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
