Artistic perspective and the feminist movement
Art installment courtesy of the Women’s March via Bust.
An opportunity to experience thought-provoking art sprang to life in a Brooklyn warehouse this year as a part of New York Fashion Week. Fashion and Lifestyle magazine and Refinery29 curated “29Rooms Art Exhibit,“ a four-day interactive pop-up in Williamsburg, New York City. This pop-up featured 29 contemporary artists and organizations whose works illustrate current social, political, and environmental issues.
Twenty nine different artists, including Mr. Jake Gyllenhaal, Ms. Emma Roberts, Ms. JeeYoung Lee, Mr. Benjamin Shrine, and nonprofit organizations such as Planned Parenthood and The Women’s March each designed their own room.
Mr. Gyllenhaal’s design is an interactive piece in which people write their worries on a sheet of paper, tear it with a hand-cranked shredder, and throw it into a pile. The artwork represents the collaboration and collection of the stress and anxiety of strangers, according to hollywoodreporter.com.
Another installment is Ms. Robert’s room. Using an oversized typewriter to reflect her online book community Belletrist, the room titled “Born in a Digital Age” offered an escape from technology and provided an opportunity for visitors to sit and hand-write notes on blank pages of paper.
Mr. Shine based his work on celebrities and popular culture. His installment includes a sculpture of child actresses and singers Chloe Bailey and Halle Bailey. Mr. Shine’s sculpture uses intertwining metal wires to symbolize the harmonies in the sister’s voices when they sing. The sculpture rotated as their songs played through headphones.
Ms. Lee chose to create an environmental outreach room. Her room titled “Ocean of Creativity” displays a boat sailing through New York City trash to depict the issue of pollution which causes environmental damage around the world.
In addition to artists creating artwork, organizations such as Planned Parenthood and The Women’s March designed rooms that promote their cause.
Planned Parenthood’s installation features neon signs with different phrases and pictures to educate people about women’s healthcare rights.
Another segment of the exhibit is The Women’s March room. The room includes different posters and pictures used in the January 21 march. The purpose of this display is to convey the ideas and values behind today’s feminist movement, according to artnews.com.
Senior Abby Leyson connects discussion themes from Sacred Heart Greenwich’s female empowerment club, Girl Power, to the feminist outlook of the 29Rooms Art Exhibit. Abby, along with senior co-heads Laura Holland and Nina Rosenblum created Girl Power to help spread and promote awareness about women’s equality.
Furthermore, Abby’s personal experience of walking in the Women’s March strengthens her connection to the 29Rooms exhibit.
“Feminism to me is empowering women and acknowledging that both males and females should be equal,” Abby said. “Speaking to individuals that I’ve never spoken to before, not being judged for my opinion, and being welcomed perfectly captured what feminism is to me because your voice matters. The posters were our voice, and that’s what this room is saying.”
-Caroline Baranello, Staff Writer
