Art Exhibit Questions How Feminine Beauty and Worth Are Defined in Our Culture

In celebration of Women’s History Month, Studio Lounge in Bay View will be featuring work by nine female artists who primarily depict women from March 6 – April 28. The exhibit, From Here to Her: Explorations of Feminine Beauty and Identity, is more than a collection by and about women, it questions how feminine beauty and worth are defined in American culture not only through the theme that ties the work together, but also through a corresponding educational event as well as other community outreach elements.
“Like many women, we struggle to find a balance between where we believe our beauty and worth lie and where the mass media relentlessly tells us it does,” said Katie Mullen, exhibit curator and artist. “Whether we like it or not, media shapes culture. The goal of the show is to get people thinking about the impact it’s had on women and girls in particular. What’s the price we pay for it as individuals and as a society?”
Alverno College, the show’s presenting sponsor, will host interactive educational workshops at Studio Lounge on March 16 that apply the show’s theme across topics ranging from art history to activism. The morning program, from 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., will include the sessions “Sex, Lies and What the Mirror Doesn’t See” and “Photo-Editing and Unreal Perfection.” The afternoon program, from 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 pm., includes “Representations of Women in Art History” and “Building Bridges from Here to There.” Due to limited space, preregistration is required. For more information on these workshops, or to register, go to http://fromheretoher.tumblr.com/.
Proceeds from the workshop and other From Here to Her events will be donated to support TRUE Skool’s 2013 Be Girl Project, the urban arts-based nonprofit’s new program dedicated to nurturing self-worth, social-emotional intelligence, leadership experience and increased critical thinking skills among high school girls.
From Here to Her will feature artwork by Kim Alpert, Jasmine Barmore, Rosana Lazcano, Tazia LeMay, Katie Mullen, Miranda Petroviak, Racquel Racadio, Kerri Root and Jenna Van Ornum. Studio Lounge, located at 2246 S. Kinnickinnic, is open Wednesday – Sunday from 7:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. For more information on the exhibit or the workshop, contact exhibit curator, Katie Mullen, at (414) 731-0320 or at katiemullenwrites@gmail.com.

About Alverno College
Alverno College, a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college for women, exists to promote the personal and professional development of its students. The college has earned accolades and respect internationally for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, and has consulted with three U.S. presidential administrations on accountability and outcomes in higher education. For two years in a row, Alverno College was ranked first in the Midwest for doing “the best job of educating undergrads” by U.S. News & World Report. Educators from throughout the world visit Alverno to learn about its proven, student-centered teaching methods.
Alverno offers more than 35 major program areas of study, including graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology and business that are open to women and men. For more information about Alverno, visit our Web site at www.alverno.edu or call 414-382-6100.