With titans like Taylor Swift being able to prop up the entire tourism revenue of several US states in her Eras tour, the power of the female star in the 21st century is undeniable. But these talented performers and savvy businesswomen have also been plagued by derogatory labels like “diva”, marking them as demanding, difficult to work with, and unwilling to conform to expected practices when it comes to things like industry norms, beauty standards, and body image.
The V&A’s exhibition ‘DIVA’ reminds us that before the word came to be associated with “difficult” behaviour -especially from women in the public eye- the term carried notions of power, independence, and autonomy. Directly derived from the Latin word for “goddess”, “diva” was used to describe female opera singers whose voice and magnetic charisma earned them legions of fans in the 19th century.
From the mid 19th to 20th centuries, divas were not only opera singers, showgirls, and actresses; they were also suffragettes, writers, and businesswomen. Because these performers could earn their own living, they therefore had the financial independence- and the freedom that comes with it- to explore other pursuits unlike most women in their era. They existed in a social liminal space: moving with rare autonomy but formerly barred from polite society because of their professions.
The actress Ellen Terry (1846-1928) started her own theatre company which she had complete creative control over. Josephine Baker (1906-1975) was not only a dancer and singer, but a spy in the Second World War and civil rights activist. These divas were trailblazers and provided a blueprint for female stars today by using their fame and visibility to push against social constraints that existed in their respective eras.
Look up “diva” in the Oxford English Dictionary’s 2015 entry however, and you will find ‘a person, typically a woman, who is self-important, temperamental, and extremely demanding’. Inevitably, the meaning of “diva” has morphed into a disparaging term to discredit successful female performers.
By reconnecting 21st century stars to the empowering legacy of the divas in the 1830s-1960s, this exhibition recasts modern divas as contemporary goddesses. These divas are polymaths in their own right: many are actors, directors, singers, activists, and savvy businesswomen like Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Beyonce. From the 1830s right up to 2024, this exhibition makes it a point to include as many female performers as the exhibition space would allow, making it abundantly clear to visitors that it would be an honour for anyone to be labelled a “diva”.
This fantastic exhibition is open at the V&A South Kensington until 10 April 2024.
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