The Southern Utah Museum of Art celebrated the opening of their new gallery on Sept 25. The “Right Here Right Now” exhibit is unique — its artists are all female.
2020 marks the 150th anniversary of women’s suffrage in Utah and the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment. This show acknowledges the significance of this anniversary, featuring the work of 20 female artists.
“It’s a collaboration, it’s not just women individually,” said sophomore English major Madeleine Martinez. “It’s the working together that makes it unique, it’s not that these women are standing alone. It’s them coming together as a society to show their worth.”
She used the wall-to-wall mural entitled “Work in Progress,” featuring over 300 famous women, as an example of this collaboration.
From neon lights and needles to dresses and drawings, this gallery features the stories of these artists in a diverse variety of mediums.
“This has probably been my favorite gallery so far,” said Collin, a senior photography major, as he observed an oil painting of a crying woman called “Diamond Valley” by Rebecca Campell.
“The other ones here have been more classic, this one is more contemporary. And all the different mediums they use make it really cool.”
Music from the bands playing just outside the museum serenaded visitors as they viewed the gallery and walked the street surrounding it as part of the final Friday art walk that evening.
The pieces of these artists were curated to highlight work that speaks to the experience of being a woman here and now. All 20 artists either reside in or have ties to Utah.
“I feel like part of the purpose of this exhibit is to raise awareness for women making a contribution to society,” Martinez said. “It makes me feel like I’m a part of a community that I didn’t know existed.”
“Right Here Right Now” will be on display at SUMA until Dec. 23. The gallery is free and open to the public. For more information about the gallery or the museum, visit the SUMA website.
Story By: Larissa Beatty
accent@suunews.net
An earlier version of this story was revised with corrections made to the spelling of Martinez’s name and the amount of women displayed in the Work in Progress Mural. The University Journal apologizes for the misrepresentation.
