‘Extraordinary Women: Images of Courage, Endurance, and Defiance’ is a moving, contemplative, and emotionally-charged photography exhibition which presents the endurance and iron will of women in situations of war, poverty and hardship.

Throughout his career, award-winning photographer Tom Stoddart (1953 – 2021) showed us the remarkable resilience of people across the world. From his documentation of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the war in Lebanon (alongside celebrated Sunday Times foreign correspondent Marie Colvin), to portraying the HIV/AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa, Stoddart spent his life capturing the human responses to extreme situations.

‘Extraordinary Women’ is his final collection which, along with the accompanying book, celebrates the dignity and defiance of women with Stoddart’s characteristic and uncompromising celebration of humanity.

This collection of forty images will be on display from Friday 10 June 2022 – Monday 11 July 2022. Curated from Stoddart’s inspirational career, they tell the story of women living through the harsh realities of war, poverty, and adversity.

Presented against the backdrop of Chester Cathedral’s inspirational medieval architecture, this is an exhibition you won’t forget.

Chester Cathedral is delighted to be working in partnership with Chester Women’s Aid for this exhibition, who will have a dedicated space alongside the exhibition with material on their work available to visitors.

Chester Cathedral is grateful to The King’s School, Chester for their generous sponsorship of the exhibition.

Friday 10 June 2022 – Monday 11 July 2022
Open normal Cathedral hours.
Entry by donation.

Image: Head held high, Meliha Varesanovic defies Bosnian Serb sniper bullets and mortar fire in the Dobrinja neighbourhood of Sarajevo, June 1995 (c) Tom Stoddart.