Global Feminisms

This major exhibition features work created since 1990 by women artists, most of whom are under the age of 40, from nearly 40 countries. This exhibition explores the influence of feminist thought on art today, and how gravely that differs in varying cultural, political, and social contexts. Gender, sexuality, violence, power, politics, and ultimately, identity, are among the sources and subjects of this momentous show. Building upon and transcending groundbreaking feminist scholarship of the 1970s, Global Feminisms presents cutting edge contemporary art that is international in scope and challenging in nature.

Global Feminisms has been organized by the Brooklyn Museum, with the Davis Museum its only traveling venue. The Wellesley College Women's Studies Department has selected the opening of Global Feminisms to celebrate their 25^th anniversary.

The Davis Museum venue is funded by the Sandra Cohen Bakalar '55 Fund, Kathryn Wasserman Davis '28 Fund for World Cultures and Leadership, Kemper Fund for Academic Programs, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Wellesley College Committee for Lectures and Cultural Events, Wellesley College Friends of Art, and Women's Studies Department.

Please note: Global Feminisms gives voice to diverse points of view and contains challenging subject matter that some visitors may find disturbing or offensive. Discretion is advised.

"Don't Look." Contemporary Drawings from an Alumna's Collection (Martina Yamin, Class of 1958)

"Don't Look." explores the revitalized state of drawing in contemporary art from multiple perspectives, looking at subject matter, conceptual frameworks, materials and formats, as well as the sensibility of the collector and the force of the marketplace. Fifty-six drawings from the collection of Wellesley alumna Martina Yamin, half by women artists, dating from 1953 to 2006 will be on view. Yamin's collection of drawings includes a diverse array of works by established and emerging artists including Yayoi Kusama, Lee Bontecou, Gerhard Richter, R. Crumb, Rosemarie Trockel, Marlene Dumas, Willie Cole, Tony Oursler, Ernesto Neto, Roxy Paine, Kara Walker, Danica Phelps, and Chun Seong.

Reinstallation of the Permanent Collection and Related Podcasts -- Phase I

The permanent collection of the Davis Museum will be returned to view in two successive phases, opening in Fall 2007 and Fall 2008. The new presentation, which is organized thematically to draw upon the strengths of the collection in innovative ways, represents a sea change in the way the museum engages its visitors. Displaying the collection to its best advantage, it emphasizes direct engagement with the works themselves, as well as the significance of works of art for teaching across disciplines, and life-long learning. The first phase of this project, organized by Dabney Hailey, Linda Wyatt Gruber '66 Curator of Painting, Sculpture and Photography, incorporates more than 85 artworks in two themes revolving around definitions of American Art and an exploration of Narrative, or Stories in Art. When Phase II opens in fall 2008, some 400 paintings, sculptures, and decorative objects will be returned to view.

In conjunction with the reinstallation, the museum will present three new podcasts for the American and Narrative galleries. Podcast tours encourage active interaction with the works of art, showcase a variety of voices and responses, and probe topics that are not highlighted in the gallery texts, such as how an object relates to an academic course, what experts think of the work, how an artist speaks about his/her own work, or what other visitors think about the object.

This reinstallation project is made possible by funds from Office of the President of the College, Office of the Dean of the College, Davis Museum Program Endowment, and Wellesley College Friends of Art.

Image credits:
1, Pilar Albarracin, still from Forbidden Singing (Prohibido el cante) 2000. Video. Lent by the artist. Copyright Pilar Albarracin. (Photo: Courtesy of the artist).
2. Chris Hammerlein, Untitled #712001I, ink and crayon, 1999. Collection of Martina Yamin.