What do photographs, umbrellas, a deer made of salt, a rainbow painted flag and five pairs of panties have in common? All were a few of the pieces selected to be showcased in the 30th Annual Juried Art Exhibition.
"Being featured in this show is very prestigious. Even from the perspective of the University, it is really good to see that among the students here, there is some really good talent," said Leslie Luebbers, director of the Art Museum at the University of Memphis.
The exhibition, which was juried by ceramicist Heajung Lee, will be shown through March 16, and feature media from painting and ceramics, to multi-media art.
"We have been holding this show for many years and it always turns out differently. It is completely up to the juror to decide how many pieces will be featured, and it varies. This year the juror was clearly of the encouragement model and wanted to encourage students to continue their craft, so we have about 68 pieces by 63 artists out of the 80 artists that submitted work," Luebbers said.
Among the many artists chosen was fine art photographer Babette Shaw with her piece, "Ritual Castings." The piece consists of five photographs of women's undergarments with alternate words for the vagina embroidered into the crotch. The garments hang underneath these photographs on a clothesline.
"I was drawn to the work not only because of the interesting mash-up of mediums, but also because of the message that was being portrayed and the emotions it evoked. It is definitely one to remember," Sara Harrison, junior fashion merchandising major, said.
"I have always been concerned with gender roles of both males and females, and the political work surrounding gender roles as well. This piece is a continuation of my project called 'The Wash' and it is inspired by what I have been working through with the recent political climate," Shaw said.
Shaw embroidered the undergarments with slang terms for the vagina that she says range from racy to comical.
"I chose to embroider the words because I'm celebrating the traditional women's work that has been done for years. The language being embroidered can be seen as a byproduct that inequality still exists. The language can be difficult for many to take, but in numbers there is a bit of dark humor to it," Shaw said.
Shaw has also used her work as a participation tool for other women.
"Many women have told me their stories, and I incorporate their words in my work. They can choose to participate as much or as little as they want to, but regardless of how open they are with me, it feels reparative because it gets them speaking about it in the first place. I remember I chose the word 'hole' as a title for a pair of undergarments, and a woman wanted to participate. She added a tiny 'w' in front of the 'h' and said, 'what a difference one letter can make in the process of healing'," Shaw said.
Not only the words, but also the placement of the photos versus the garment and the shapes made in the garments make a statement as well.
"The shapes I have made with the panties represent those associated with the vagina, triangular and ovular. The clothesline is a metaphor to what we are bound to with the words and if we can move forward, but the portraits are placed above the line and photographed as casting off the rejection of the labels that are oppressive for women and transcending beyond the line," Shaw said.
Shaw has 16 completed garments and has an additional 31 words she wishes to incorporate in this project.
"My goal is to reach women who already think like this but also those who I can get talking about what is still happening. I am working to draw attention to the inequalities that still exist. If we are not talking about it, then we are not acting as agents to better our situation," Shaw said.
