I wish I would be in a position where I could say I don’t think about my identity as a woman in the art world, but the truth is we are underrepresented and undervalued in museums and galleries. According to the National Museum of Women in the Arts, even though 46% of visual artists in the United States are women, just 13% of artwork in the collections of major US art museum is made by women. Galleries only show 30% women artists; and they earn 26% less per year than men counterparts.
At the beginning of 2020, I decided that I have tiptoed long enough through my life and that it’s time to make some noise. I planned three artist talks for my birthday month to discuss my recently created art and the influential factors that led to this body of work.
The Drawing Room Annex seemed to be the perfect space to share my accomplishments. The Women Rising show with over 100 San Francisco Bay Area female artist was a great way to encourage, support and promote each other. I was looking forward to the artist talks to share my own story and gain insight into the journey of other women artists.
My plans have been thwarted by the coronavirus pandemic, but I am extremely happy that Sophia, a fellow artist, bought my piece in the show. When I met her for the first time at the opening night, we had instantly a connection. I told her my name, and she answered, that she likes the concept of “Entropy”, because of the possible states of the molecules - how things fall apart and then come together in other forms. She said, this would make it possible, that she gets reborn as Aphrodite. She didn’t know, that I identify strongly with the Roman counterpart Venus, and that I chose this goddess as topic for my thesis in art therapy. The fallen goddess of love is very intriguing to me. It’s not so much about desire, but how her heart is longing for the truth.
Sophia also shared her growing concerns about the coronavirus and how members in her neighborhood, who are extra vulnerable, were going to be severely affected, which sparked my idea to create the Sunset Neighborhood Help Group, that is assisting at risk neighbors since mid-March now. This whole thing is just amazing to me – it’s evidence of our shared connection. Selling this painting to her is the most satisfying feeling that you can get. Each of my pieces embodies a story, and I know that when it hangs on her wall, it is much more than just decor – it becomes part of her creative process and is a sign of respect.
Women Rising was a way of saying “Hey, we are a community of inspiring women and we walking this path together. If we share our stories and help each other out, new opportunities will open up.” Everyone brought in a piece that represented themselves best and shared a self-portrait that got put together in a huge quilt. Even though there was no selection process, the powerful of their self-definition provided the strength of this show.
