Collaborative Art with a Mission
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The Flowers Are BurningAn Art and Climate Justice Virtual Exhibition
+ Collaborative Project by Helen Klebesadel and Mary Kay Neumann "The Flowers are Burning: An Art and Climate Justice Exhibition" seeks to evoke both a sense of alarm at our urgent environmental concerns and to hold up the vision of the possibility of rising from the ashes of a restorative prairie burn.
Artists Mary Kay Neumann and Helen Klebesadedal initiated this collaborative project in 2015. They embrace the potential of the flower as metaphor. Their watercolor paintings explore the poetic, symbolic and political representations that flowers offer in exploring both human nature and the natural world. Recognizing and celebrating the cultural association of flowers with the feminine, they pointedly render their paintings with strong color palettes, rich implied emotional content and complex compositions. Their large expressive flower paintings create environments of saturated color and texture that belies the fragility of flowers. |
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The Exquisite Uterus Project
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The Exquisite Uterus Art of Resistance Project led by artists Helen Klebesadel and Alison Gates. It is a feminist art project with over 200 contributions by creative makers who have used the act of embellishing a line drawing of a uterus on plain cloth to articulate their outrage at recent increased restrictions to women’s full access to good sexual and reproductive health care and growing limitations on our ability to determine our own reproductive choices.
Alison and Helen asked that we not take our uterus for granted, but that we claim it! When asked for guidance from the curators the typical response was, “Its YOUR uterus. You get to do whatever you want with it!” Participants were urged to have fun with it but to consider how our ability to take control of our own personal uterus (and health care decisions) is a very serious and, now, political issue. The response to the project was overwhelming. Makers range from professional artists to first time creatives, all determined to have their say. They are healthcare workers, and parents, men and women, of all ages and backgrounds. Almost 200 uteri appeared from all over the USA, Canada, Germany, and Denmark. They came as quilt squares, pillows, aprons, and headdresses. Each uterus is unique, and each one addresses some aspect of women’s reproductive health or well-being. Along with the uteri have come statements and stories that range from empowering and moving to sad, and funny. Stories of the making of the uteri have included individuals creating their submissions anonymously, because it was too hard to be identified with the project, to groups women coming together in their communities to make art, support and learn about their local reproductive health providers, and to register to vote (sometimes all in the same evening). Learn more about the project at TheExquisiteUterus.com |
