Re-Call for proposals
The Exquisite Uterus: The Art of Resistance
Have you seen the Exquisite Uterus Project on Pinterest or when it was exhibited at Woman Made Gallery in Chicago, or in the Gail Floether Steinhilber Art Gallery, in Oshkosh or the Red Gym/Armory Gallery in Madison, Wisconsin? Did you wish you could have made a piece for the Project too? Here is your chance.
This is a new call for proposals offering another opportunity to participate in the Exquisite Uterus Project and have your exquisite uterus exhibited with the existing collection, and potentially included in a future exhibition catalog (funding permitting).
What is the Exquisite Uterus Project? It is a fabulous collection of fiber based artworks that have been created to give voice to shared outrage at ongoing attacks on access to good and affordable reproductive healthcare for all women. Started in early 2012 in reaction to the what is still being called the most current ‘War on Women,’ two artists, known notorious Feminists, and sometime curators Helen Klebesadel and Alison Gates decided to facilitate a collaborative art project to channel their shared outrage at the attacks on women's ready access to quality general and reproductive health care of their choice.
Interested artists and other motivated participants are again asked to embellish a plain cloth uterus "blank" (a square of organic white cotton canvas fabric with a simple black and gray medical illustration of a female reproductive system printed permanently on its surface.) Final works should be approximately 13" square. Participation is free except for the cost of purchasing the organic cotton canvas uterus and mailing.
The fabric uteri are available via on-line orders here: http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/1080580
(It will cost $14.00 for a 'fat square' that included two uteri. You can give one to a friend). All proceed to the artist from the sale of this fabric will be donated to organizations working for women’s reproductive justice.
Participants are invited to manipulate the blank uterus in any way their fertile imaginations desire, making their prodigious powers of self-expression and creativity obvious to all. If you want your piece returned you are asked to send it to the project organizers with a stamped self-addressed envelope for its return after the project runs out of exhibition request.
Alison and Helen only ask that you don't take your uterus for granted. Claim it! Have fun with it but take your control of your own personal uterus very seriously. Take the time to think about what your uterus wants to say visually, and make it happen. You may use words, stitches, beads, dye, colors, paint, textures, images, sparkly stuff, fairy dust or whatever else inspired you. They have already received uteri both bold and shy, and even have some made by guys (there are already examples of uteri aprons, headdresses, and pillows, as well a exquisitely beaded gems and raw screaming demands to be heard).
When asked what is an appropriate approach to creating a uterus for this exhibition Alison and Helen usually reply,
"It is your X#%@# uterus! Do whatever you want with it."
Once the next round of uteri have been received the artists will follow the tradition of the motherhood of church ladies and assemble their collection of unique, individual, and righteously outspoken uteri for public viewing at our next venue in the Union Art Gallery of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in September 2013. We also expect the collection to travel to other venues after, since the topic seems to be remaining all too timely. This version of the exhibition in Milwaukee will also feature the print portfolio curated by artist Meredith Stern entitled This is an Emergency! as well as participation by a small group of installation artists from the Milwaukee area responding to our current political climate surrounding women’s reproductive rights.
There are also plans in the works to start a crowd source funded catalog of the Exquisite Uterus Project as a fundraiser for reproductive rights organizations in dire need of continued financial support as they lose the funding they use to make all forms of good health care available to women at all economic levels. Stay tuned!
EXHIBITION TIMELINE:
Uterine yardage can be purchased here: http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/1080580
Help spread the word that others are welcome to participate. Again, all artist proceeds made from the sale of this fabric will be donated to organizations working for reproductive justice.
Mail completed uterine artworks by August 31st 2013 to:
Exquisite Uterus Project, c/o Union Art Gallery 2200, E Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee WI 53211
Please include the following information with your piece:
Artist Name
Address
Phone and Email address
Website if you want it included on the Pinterest site
Indicate if you want the piece returned? If yes, please send in a returnable box with appropriate postage for the return.
An optional Artist Statement welcome (Please keep under 200 words. A reduced version will be included on the pinterest site. Email your statement to Helen@Klebesadel.com).
If you're with us, please respond by email before August 15, 2013 to let us know you plan to participate. If you have questions contact either Alison at gatesa@uwgb.edu or Helen at Helen@Klebesadel.com
Join us!!
This is a new call for proposals offering another opportunity to participate in the Exquisite Uterus Project and have your exquisite uterus exhibited with the existing collection, and potentially included in a future exhibition catalog (funding permitting).
What is the Exquisite Uterus Project? It is a fabulous collection of fiber based artworks that have been created to give voice to shared outrage at ongoing attacks on access to good and affordable reproductive healthcare for all women. Started in early 2012 in reaction to the what is still being called the most current ‘War on Women,’ two artists, known notorious Feminists, and sometime curators Helen Klebesadel and Alison Gates decided to facilitate a collaborative art project to channel their shared outrage at the attacks on women's ready access to quality general and reproductive health care of their choice.
Interested artists and other motivated participants are again asked to embellish a plain cloth uterus "blank" (a square of organic white cotton canvas fabric with a simple black and gray medical illustration of a female reproductive system printed permanently on its surface.) Final works should be approximately 13" square. Participation is free except for the cost of purchasing the organic cotton canvas uterus and mailing.
The fabric uteri are available via on-line orders here: http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/1080580
(It will cost $14.00 for a 'fat square' that included two uteri. You can give one to a friend). All proceed to the artist from the sale of this fabric will be donated to organizations working for women’s reproductive justice.
Participants are invited to manipulate the blank uterus in any way their fertile imaginations desire, making their prodigious powers of self-expression and creativity obvious to all. If you want your piece returned you are asked to send it to the project organizers with a stamped self-addressed envelope for its return after the project runs out of exhibition request.
Alison and Helen only ask that you don't take your uterus for granted. Claim it! Have fun with it but take your control of your own personal uterus very seriously. Take the time to think about what your uterus wants to say visually, and make it happen. You may use words, stitches, beads, dye, colors, paint, textures, images, sparkly stuff, fairy dust or whatever else inspired you. They have already received uteri both bold and shy, and even have some made by guys (there are already examples of uteri aprons, headdresses, and pillows, as well a exquisitely beaded gems and raw screaming demands to be heard).
When asked what is an appropriate approach to creating a uterus for this exhibition Alison and Helen usually reply,
"It is your X#%@# uterus! Do whatever you want with it."
Once the next round of uteri have been received the artists will follow the tradition of the motherhood of church ladies and assemble their collection of unique, individual, and righteously outspoken uteri for public viewing at our next venue in the Union Art Gallery of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in September 2013. We also expect the collection to travel to other venues after, since the topic seems to be remaining all too timely. This version of the exhibition in Milwaukee will also feature the print portfolio curated by artist Meredith Stern entitled This is an Emergency! as well as participation by a small group of installation artists from the Milwaukee area responding to our current political climate surrounding women’s reproductive rights.
There are also plans in the works to start a crowd source funded catalog of the Exquisite Uterus Project as a fundraiser for reproductive rights organizations in dire need of continued financial support as they lose the funding they use to make all forms of good health care available to women at all economic levels. Stay tuned!
EXHIBITION TIMELINE:
- August 31, 2013 Artworks due with optional written statement and contact information secured to the back (Include return postage. When the project ends all unclaimed uteri will be sewn into quilts and donated to benefit women's health care)
- Sept.20 – Oct.11 Exhibition with artwork on display
- Sept. 20, 2013 Art Reception in the Union Art Galley, UW-Milwaukee from 5:00-8:00 PM (We will be joined by the Raging Grannies who will be singing up a storm!)
Uterine yardage can be purchased here: http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/1080580
Help spread the word that others are welcome to participate. Again, all artist proceeds made from the sale of this fabric will be donated to organizations working for reproductive justice.
Mail completed uterine artworks by August 31st 2013 to:
Exquisite Uterus Project, c/o Union Art Gallery 2200, E Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee WI 53211
Please include the following information with your piece:
Artist Name
Address
Phone and Email address
Website if you want it included on the Pinterest site
Indicate if you want the piece returned? If yes, please send in a returnable box with appropriate postage for the return.
An optional Artist Statement welcome (Please keep under 200 words. A reduced version will be included on the pinterest site. Email your statement to Helen@Klebesadel.com).
If you're with us, please respond by email before August 15, 2013 to let us know you plan to participate. If you have questions contact either Alison at gatesa@uwgb.edu or Helen at Helen@Klebesadel.com
Join us!!