Petruta Lipan, the director of Saint Louis University Museum of Art, believes that SLUMA is doing very important work: bringing social issues to the attention of the public through art exhibitions.
One particular exhibition is titled Contemporary Women Artists XVI: Longevity. Lipan said that this exhibit elevates the work of women artists and brings their art into the public eye.
The exhibition that opened on August 24 is sponsored by the Women’s Caucus for Art, a national organization with a multidisciplinary, multicultural membership base.
“Historically the achievement of women in the arts has been greatly underrepresented,” wrote artist of “Always and Forever,” Tracy Brown. “Today, women continue the struggle for inclusion in major museums, galleries and collections.”
Brown’s artist statement continues, “‘Always and Forever’ is a reminder of the importance of cataloging, collecting and celebrating women in the arts while continuing the battle for gender equity.”
The exhibition is composed of pieces by women artists from around the world; all of the pieces were entries in a competition hosted by the Women’s Caucus for Art. These pieces highlight the women’s experiences. Inspiration for these pieces has been drawn from the lives of the artists themselves, giving a poignant view of who these women are.
“The work spoke of the many facets of our lives as artists, mothers, caregivers and free spirits,” wrote Lisa Becker, the Exhibitions Chair, in her address in the catalog from the exhibition. “It also showed me issues that are of concern to you — violence, the environment, burdens you face, triumphs you experience. It is like getting a little glimpse into your minds and hearts.”
The exhibition boasts a wide range of subject matter and mediums. One woman painted her granddaughter from memory; another took a photograph of women who congregated at the 4th U.N. World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995.
The mixed media piece, “Memories,” by Jennifer Weigel, is composed of 35-milimeter slides which have been sewn onto a girl’s altered dress. The dress is held up by a lamp, which shines through the negatives.
“Speak Up,” an oil and graphite on watercolor paper, is one of a series of portraits of women, painted by Mary Lou Dauray.
“‘Speak Up’ invokes a portrait of the wise, older woman who has become unafraid to raise her voice about the worldwide problems regarding gender issues and social injustices,” Dauray wrote in her artist statement. “Sometimes it takes a lifetime…to garner the strength and confidence to stand up for one’s equal rights.”
In total, there are 46 pieces on display in the gallery. The competition was judged by Beverly Buchanan. Buchanan is an artist who has received numerous awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Women’s Caucus for Art in 2011.
In her statement, Buchanan wrote, “For me, the presentation has to strike a chord of authenticity in me that elevates color or lack of color to my understanding of the purpose of the title. Abstract or realism must have some kind of rhythm that satisfies my heart.”
The exhibition runs through October 7.
