Women Collared for
Work
Background
I began researching the
concept of collars at the New York
City Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) library in 2000. After realizing that documenting the work
women did during the 20th Century was too big an undertaking for one
person, I approached and then selected other artists who were excited about the
concept to create a group show. They
were enthused about the idea of bringing hidden contributions of women to the
surface through visual art. I selected
eight artists from a variety of disciplines.
The range of work includes: life-sized vine woven figurative busts of
suffragettes; mono-prints of early century professional art illustrators;
assemblage constructions using cabinets with objects and drawing from the
1930’s; intimate stitched, abstract acrylic paintings of the same era;
monochromatic calligraphic images that related to American-Japanese culture
during World War II; collaged canvas and three dimensional Hat Box sculptures
of the 1940’s and 1950’s; soft costumed sculptured torsos of the 1960’s and
1970’s; and cast paper wall relief figurative constructions over wood relating
to artist contributions in the 1980’s.
I asked each artist to
create her own concept of how she would approach the “Collar” theme identifying
women and a time period on which to focus. Geographically the artists live and
work in
We self-funded and used
grants to sustain the project. Now we
are at the point where we can make a reasonable estimate of when the works will
be available. Exhibits can be scheduled
as of February 2008.
Currently, I own a
collection of 20 magazines, books, documents, photographs and a twenty-minute
DVD documentary by Mark Marquisee entitled, “Getting Down to Work.”
Capitalizing on the essence of different eras in this exhibit, this collection
is deliverable for display only, as it is copyrighted material. In addition to the works of art, this
collection of materials is available for museum staff use.
Judith Schwab
Artist/curator
Women Collard for Work
cell phone: 302-545-5223
How will, Women
Collared for Work attract and impact its audience?
Just as there is a market
for books that feature women as protagonists, there will be and audience
interested in seeing an art exhibition by women artists that highlights the
achievement of women.
Looking at the “Collar” as a
means of adornment, control and identification, Women Collared for Work provides a unique passageway to culture by
presenting talent that combines familiar objects with art craft, methods and
materials fashioned into awe inspiring objects of art. Through the artists’
concept and unique handling of materials, these works will spark a message that
transports the viewer to another time, place and era. Each artist’s series of works are presented
as an object of “experience” in and of itself, enjoining the observer to study
every intimate detail and nuance of each piece.
According to Michelangelo, “Trifles go to make perfection, and
perfection is no trifle.”
Women Collard for Work follows a chronological path, from honoring early 20th
Century suffragettes to the modern pioneer artist of the 1980’s and 1990’s. One of the goals of the exhibition is to
recognize contributions of strong women who have often gone without recognition
in present times. The unique
contribution of each woman and time represented comes to life through the
variety of processes used by the artists.
This includes the creative concepts represented by weaving of reed; historic
objects; collage on canvas; hatboxes; mixed media mono-prints; calligraphic
monochromatic paintings; costumed soft sculptures; stitched acrylic images; and
cast paper with wood.
Meaningful symbols, such as
“Rosie the Riveter,” that inspired the masses during World War II, emerge
throughout the exhibition. Today’s
audience, including mothers, wives and relatives of servicemen can readily
identify with those who were strong enough to rise above the stress of war and
endure in times of crisis.
This exhibition provides a
significant experience that imbues the viewer with women’s historic and
creative achievements that are passionately expressed through the artists’
innovative use of materials and perceptions.
Judith Schwab
Artist/curator
Women Collard for Work
cell phone: 302-545-5223
Women
Collared for Work – Exhibition Space Needed
The Women Collared for Work exhibition could conceivably fill three
small galleries or one large gallery of approximately 344 square feet. This
working estimate is subject to revision as the project plans become more
detailed moving toward the targeted completion date of February 2008. Final requirements and arrangements will be
determined by the exhibit designer in consultation with Mrs. Schwab.
The projections listed
below. are based upon the artists’ desired list of requirements for exhibit
space.
Bernice Davidson: Four (4) life-sized figurative
busts require 100 square feet of interior floor space so visitors can
comfortably walk around each vine figurative sculpture.
Marie Keane: Ten (10) feet of running wall space for three (3) mixed-media wall
pieces honoring three early century Howard Pyle school professional
illustrators.
Ann Stein: Two (2) assemblage floor pieces using crates with
objects inside and outside honoring Frances Perkins accomplishments require 100
square feet of interior floor space and two five inch high platforms.
Deborah Stelling:
Five (5) feet of running wall
space for her four(4) intimate stitched acrylic wall pieces 10”h x 8”w X 2”d
presenting ideas from Georgia O’Keefe and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Margo Allman: Two (2) monochromatic calligraphic wall pieces 35”h x
27”w require six (6) feet of running wall space.
Judith Schwab:
Three (3) collages on canvas
18” x 18” square require six (6) feet of running wall space and three (3)
sculptural hatboxes require pedestals for placement. Width and depth of the hatboxes vary from
twelve (12) to sixteen (16) inches and height from fifteen (15) to eighteen
(18) inches requiring 100 square feet of floor space.
Wilma Bulkin Siegel, MD: Five (5) wall
pieces soft sculptures over torsos approximately 48 inches high by 24 inches
wide require ten (10) feet of running wall space.
Judith
Schwab
Artist/curator
Women Collard for Work
cell
phone: 302-545-5223