Organized by Megan Meredith and Andee Rudloff
Women Who Advocate, Create, and Dominate is an art exhibition September 9th – November 9th, 2019 in SKyPAC’s Main Gallery. The show consists of expressive works from 1st or 2nd generation immigrant/refugee women currently residing in Kentucky. Each have their own story to tell and provide insights into their cultures and/or traditions through their creations. The artwork displayed defy gender stereotypes within the artist’s own prospective region and traditions. This show will promote positive change within the community by encouraging contemplation and reflection.
Women who use creativity to advocate for equality and social change dominate and make positive impacts on communities and the world. The women in this exhibition use their stories, and stories of others associated with them, to engage their audience in learning about overcoming, succeeding, and continuous growth. Creating works in this manner allows for a more empathetic experience, which ultimately leads to positive change.
The feminist art movement emerged in the late 1960s and is still very relevant today. Stereotypes and gender roles vary depending on the region, culture and beliefs. Feminist art has often been referred to as work that is too complicated to talk about, but it is a conversation that needs to happen in order to truly understand women from all regions and their stories. The city of Bowling Green is rapidly growing, and the population is becoming more diversified. There is a need of appreciation for others within our community, our differences and similarities can only be embraced through teaching and understanding. This show will provide an opportunity for community members to see each other, stimulate dialogue, and promote cross-cultural awareness and understanding that is necessary to become a cohesive community.
The exhibition will be open during the annual Bowling Green International Festival, September 28th, 2019.
On that day we will have the artwork for the audience to reflect upon along with multiple activities throughout the day. The goal is for the community members to gain respect and knowledge of the various cultures that are in our region, learn the different forms of creating, participate in hands-on learning, see the authentic art forms and mediums displayed, and gain appreciation for differences and similarities.
A dialogue between the viewer and artwork is created through the stories each piece contains. Irregardless of the viewer’s background and(or) tradition, the pieces are powerful and easily understood. This exhibition will allow for viewers to gain knowledge from reading about each artist, participating in informative events and activities, and reflecting upon the astounding artwork. Hopefully, viewers will bring their own stories to the exhibition and events as well so that a conversation and enlightenment can begin.
