A.I.R. (Artists in Residence) Gallery has been advocating for women in the visual arts for more than four decades. Upon its 1972 induction, A.I.R. became the first-of-its kind artist-run gallery for women in the United States, and has since upheld its commitment to sustaining a space where women can showcase a diverse array of artistic works. Currently on display is an exhibition that truly embodies the kind of work that A.I.R. has long embraced – art that challenges, and examines what it means to be a woman, and a woman artist, in a contemporary context.
A “Womanhouse” or a Roaming House? “A Room of One’s Own” Today is a large-scale exhibition curated by writer, painter and educator Mira Schor. Schor’s acclaimed work has been deeply influenced by critical feminist discourse throughout much of her career. Concurrently, Schor and her fellow female artists have influenced feminist discourse by being dedicated to constantly examining their roles as women in the art world. “Womanhouse” pays a tribute to those early pioneering conversations had about women’s roles in art, the home, and society.
Nancy Grace Horton, Hot (Edition #2), Photograph, 2011.
Image: via airgallery.org
In the official press release for “Womanhouse” the social importance of the exhibition is emphasized. “The original Womanhouse Project in Los Angeles in 1972 was one of the most important and famous art projects in feminist art history. It included some of the first major instances of installation art and of feminist performance art in the United States,” explains the press release. Much like the original “Womanhouse Project” in L.A., this exhibition will feature feminist works, illustrating the ways that gender norms have (or haven’t) shifted and evolved over time.
“Womanhouse” features forty artists working in a variety of artistic outlets including video, photography, photographed performance, painting, sculpture, and installation. Although the modes of expression and creation are very unique, they each speak to the question, What does the home mean for women today? This is a multifaceted question that demands critical interpretation, as can only be informed by deeply personal experiences. Artists including Irina Arnaut, Kimberly Brooks, Pauline Chernichaw, Dominique Paul, and dozens of others are attempting to confront and examine this question using their art in A.I.R. Gallery’s impressive current exhibition.
A “Womanhouse” or a Roaming House? “A Room of One’s Own” Today will be on display from January 9th to February 2nd, 2014 at A.I.R. Gallery in Brooklyn, NY.