Exhibit focuses on feminism through artwork

Art can be provocative. It can be powerful. It can be beautiful. The “Les Femmes Folles: Voice” exhibit, co-curated by Sally Deskins and Megan Loudon Sanders and currently on display at The New Blk (black) at 1213 Jones St., embodies all of these things. The exhibit presents 11 women’s original works through a variety of mediums.

The work of Marcia Joffe-Bouska, Sally Deskins, Wanda Ewing, Kristin Lubbert, Jewel Noll, Melanie Pruitt, Amy Quinn, Megan Loudon Sanders, Trudie Teijink, Trilety Wade and Ella Weber is stunning. The subject of feminism inspires their work, and although it’s likely to be overlooked, the women hope to reawaken feminism through their art.

“It’s an all-female visual art show,” Deskins said. “We really wanted to showcase female talent. [The show] combines the perspectives of women artists that don’t necessarily get the opportunity.”

“Les Femmes Folles: Voice” is the third “Les Femmes Folles” visual exhibition. The original show was curated by Ewing in April of last year and inspired “Les Femmes Folles,” a blog founded and maintained by Deskins. The blog celebrates creative women. Deskins’ artwork in the exhibit is inspired directly from her blog.

“I did about 20 or 25 body prints and I interview women artists [for my blog], so each of the body prints had a little quote from interviews that I had done with the women,” Deskins said.

Also unique to the exhibit is a performance piece by Lubbert. Viewers are asked to write a term or message on a note card and Lubbert, along with two other dancers, interpret the note card into a dance.

“They practiced really hard on timing and it was really cool,” Deskins said. “Each dance was different. After the dance, they each wrote a message in response to what you wrote.”

The interactive live performance by Wade is another piece that shouldn’t be missed. The piece features two volunteer models, one male and one female, each with an embroidered message. The female’s message is embroidered under her skirt, on her tights, and the male on his shirt, under his sweater. Viewers are asked to touch the embroidery to figure out the message.

“We invited her because she really pushes boundaries and she really pushes herself to explore herself and relationships,” Deskins said. “[The piece provided] an interesting message on comfort.”

Most viewers of the exhibit seemed to really enjoy what the artwork they were seeing.

“The show is amazing,” UNO student Roxanne Carter said. “It’s great to see an exhibit that’s centered around local female artists through the use of different multimedia.”

The show opened April 13 and will run until April 24 with free admission.