It’s the morning after the opening reception of In our Voices, the World is Created, an exhibition of work from six Sul Ross State University students at the Ballroom Marfa Annex. I pass a handwritten list of women artists, a stack of books, and a poster for the exhibit promoting the students’ end-of-term projects. The projects answer an assignment posed by creator, writer and instructor, Mo Eldridge – make art from recorded conversations with women. In the conversations discuss: “What is woman? What is woman in art?”
The students responded with a wide range of pieces.
Karina Cantens created a ceramic, sand-brown torso. A teardrop cut reveals the womb. Inside, a mirror reflects a flicking candle light. The torso’s nipples and mons pubis glisten with a wet, brown glaze. Crystals, stones and notes are arranged on a podium draped in sheer fabric. The altar supports the bust. On view are videos of candid conversations with loved ones that heal.
Emily Oyama painted three 18-by-24-inch abstract acrylics on canvas. The abstraction ensures anonymity. Flowers, picked by each interviewee, determine the color scape — Lavender Orchid, Chrysanthemum Dahlia, Carnation Azalea. Cool purples, burnt oranges, and rosy reds — pigment in a polymer emulsion. Painted with plastic shopping bags over the artist’s hands, the acrylic dries rough, producing a texture that catches the light. Put your ear to a can of sound to the left of the paintings and hear windchimes and the sea.
Vic Montilva set up a tent of tulle and tea cups where a video plays. Enter and see a woman taking care of her ill father. She shaves his face. Hear a conversation on assault against women as a white candle flickers on the screen. The picture moves to the kitchen where a woman dances with rolling hips. Next, two women share a deep embrace. Hear strong words from a friend force through wounds to create power. In the Annex, the artist’s mother beams outside the installation, sharing the pride she feels for her daughter’s art.
Sofia Gutierrez Gladwish displays three ceramic sculptures foregrounding three tin cans mounted on the wall. The cans hold speakers that project conversations with the artist. A dark purple ceramic vase holds a single, long-stemmed, red rose. Books support the vase. A long-lashed sand woman with shining serpent hair sits on her great rump. “A boat can be a woman; a spider can be a woman” –– the artist subverts the question by including both. A breasted, faceless figure holds a bundle in each arm. The form is glazed with a cosmic scape of star-colored purples, blues and whites. Put your ear to each can and hear the women speak.
Julian Vidales presents a 3-by-3-feet square of mixed media with a red and black color scheme. He depicts messages imposed on women, and explores struggle and recovery. A crying eye in the upper left sees a suited woman on the right. She faces the viewer as she smiles in perfect form. Over her shoulder, a second face grimaces with a sour look of pain.
For Bella Stimpson, five sculptures made of clay and paint are hung on the wall. Cords connect each shape. Five shapes of five colors for five people. Each person’s face is pictured in the center of their shape. Each tightly cropped face is encircled by a low wall. “The shape is the shape I saw for each person” the artist says. “Then, they picked the color.” In her recorded conversations, she questions the color pink.
The students respond to their assignment by engaging in dialogue, connecting with others, and creating. They practice personal vulnerability and share their reflections through the exhibit of art created in response to the assignment. They create with healing strength.
Visit Ballroom Marfa today and view the Sul Ross students’ exhibit on its last night, Thursday, December 12.
