Women’s Center exhibits feminist art

From Feb. 3 to March 15, the Oregon State University Women's Center Annual Art Exhibit is being displayed in the Memorial Union Concourse Gallery.

The mixed media exhibit opens yearly to the community, and the large gallery space on the first floor of the MU accommodates a great number and variety of artists responding to female themes.

One of the exhibit's curators, special assistant to the president Ann McLaughlin, who also is on the Women's Center Advisory Committee, describes the exhibit as "a call to artists across campus." Male artists are welcome to contribute pieces along with female-identified artists from OSU, as long as all pieces somehow interpret the year's theme.

While this year's theme for the exhibit is "Healthy Mind, Body and Soul," interpretations vary widely from abstract to photorealistic, and geometric to sweeping. To know the full spectrum of this year's theme, says McLaughlin, "You'd have to ask each of the artists."

Several images, such as Emily Swope's and Stephanie Bondarowicz's, depict the female body with great diversity. While Swope's "Why" traces forms in shadow and solid colors, Bondarowicz creates an impressionistic rainbow.

Melissa Broussard's watercolor, "Rhododendron Girl," depicts the detailed face of a girl with rhododendron leaves and flowers for hair, perhaps suggesting that a healthy body is close to nature.

More abstract pieces include Jennifer Moss' "I've Taken A Notion," a collage made of sewing materials and related papers that may collect over the course of an adventurous project, and Alana Springer Kenagy's enigmatic mixed media piece "Spectrum." A healthy soul looks different to every artist.

Sculpture, textiles and other 3-D art is allowed in the show. Melissa Broussard's handwoven "Wedding Tartan" drapes in front of "Rhododendron Girl."

Artists do not have to be art students to submit work. "It's open to anyone affiliated [with] OSU whose art is female-identified," said Susan Bourque, exhibit coordinator.

Those interested in submitting pieces next year need to be sure that their pieces can be hung on a wall if two-dimensional, or are stable or can hang from a ceiling if 3-D. Maximum sizes and weights can be found on the Women's Center website at http://oregonstate.edu/womenscenter/annual-events.

Students interested in being art curators also have an opportunity to participate in this annual exhibit, says Bourque, which welcomes art students each year into its organization. According to Bourque, for many of these students, "it's the first time they would have that learning experience."

Annecy Beauchemin, staff reporter

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