The Women’s Studies Program collaborated with the Bradley University Galleries to hold a reception for the “Gendered Perspectives” art exhibition in the Hartmann Center Gallery last night.
“This exhibition is about showing art that explodes gender categories,” director of the Women’s Studies Program Amy Scott, said. “A lot of people approach gender like it is a binary but the idea here is to use post-oppositional thinking to get beyond the binaries and think about gender in a more layered and complicated way.”
More than 100 artists submitted over 500 works for consideration in the exhibit, according to Scott. The works came from a variety of mediums, including paintings, photographs and videos. Ultimately, 42 works were chosen for the show.
Assistant art professor Margaret LeJeune and Jess Dugan, a professional photographer, selected the works to be included in the exhibit.
LeJeune said some of the artists selected were students or “up-and-comers”, while others were more established.
“It was very important that we had a diverse group of artists showcased,” Dugan said. “It was also important that the work showed a high-level of technical and formal proficiency while expressing the themes of this particular exhibit.”
LeJeune said some of the work in the exhibit really resonated with her.
“There’s a work titled ‘Sexuality Sandwiches,’” LeJeune said. “A lot of the works in the show are figurative, meaning they show human bodies, but this work is two huge photographs of sandwiches, and the artist is making a statement about what gay people eat. Well, they eat sandwiches, just like everyone else.”
The student attendees said they were affected by the interactivity of the art pieces.
“The exhibit really showed the tremendous diversity of genders,” freshman nursing major Rebecca Zaragoza. “My favorite piece was this mirror with arms reaching out holding breasts. I liked it because the mirror involved the viewer with the art. What’s cool is that it involves anybody, man or woman.”
Dugan said she believes art has the power to open minds about gender and sexuality.
“I’m hoping that the students here can use the exhibition as a starting point for a lot of intense and meaningful conversations about the different ways they can express themselves,” Dugan said.
The exhibition runs until Dec. 10.
