Rosenthal Gallery Showcases National Feminist Art Competition
posted by Julia Voraz | March 28, 2023 | In Arts and Culture, NewsWhen entering the Rosenthal Gallery, it becomes immediately clear that the artwork on display is both profound and significant.
The gallery is currently hosting the National Competition’s Feminist Insight: Continuing Her Story, which features 42 pieces out of over 115 submissions. These works of art have been created by professional and emerging artists from around the country and the world, utilizing a variety of media such as photography, sculpture, painting, and others.
As professor of art of the Department of Performing and Fine Art and jurist of the competition, Soni Martin explains, the pieces on display explore and express diverse perspectives on topics such as power, gender, self, inclusivity, and intersectionality.
Ellington White Contemporary Gallery has organized the competition for the second time and has brought it to Rosenthal Gallery for Women’s History Month. This year’s competition is being held at our university, offering our students and faculty the chance to engage in art that carries a spirit of disruption.
The competition disrupts traditional notions of art by bringing to the center female artists who have been historically marginalized in the arts and exhibitions. One such example of this is Jeanne Ciravolo’s piece which uses dishcloths, an object traditionally associated with housekeeping, as a medium of art, disrupting the meaning and usage of the object.
This exhibition provides an excellent opportunity to explore and reflect on the ongoing discomfort faced by women, not only in the arts but in society as a whole. A realization that the word “discomfort” may not be the most welcoming word to use in an article that aims to invite people to the exhibition, but it is important to remember that any significant change or innovation can bring about a sense of unease.
The opportunity for female artists to have space to talk, be seen, and perform is a relatively new event when we consider what was considered normal in past centuries. This exhibition invites us to engage with and examine the still palpable discomfort of being a female, and the changes that come with this discomfort.
It’s important to note that some of the artwork on display may be triggering for victims of domestic violence. However, for those who are able to engage with these works, appreciate them, and use them as inspiration for change, this exhibition is an excellent opportunity.
The exhibition will run until April 15th and is located in the Rosenthal Building on Fayetteville State University campus.
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