On Her Terms: Feminine Power Embodied

Through June 2, 2024

Claudia Olds Goldie, Eve’s Quandary, 2018, stoneware, graphite pencil drawing, 29″ x 16″ x 14.″ Courtesy of the artist.

On Her Terms: Feminine Power Embodied features seven contemporary artists who identify the body as a site of empowerment. Working in diverse media, artists Azita Moradkhani, Catherine McCarthy, Claudia Olds Goldie, Lindsey Beal, Maria Yolanda Liebana, Minoo Emami, and Nafis White experiment with representations of feminine embodiment to explore the personal and collective histories of women existing within oppressive social and political environments. 

Taking inspiration from the movement for women’s rights in Iran, modern hip hop, historical gynecological tools, and Victorian hair weaving, these artists engage the feminine form as a site for personal reckoning with historical traumas and their impacts upon daily life in the present. Patriarchal political systems, cultural norms, and religious demands of femininity are called into question. Rather than simply bearing the weight of such heavy histories, these artists focus on radical joy and beauty to reassert agency over themselves and their surroundings.

Catherine McCarthy, Mother Load, 2023, acrylic and oil on canvas, 30″ x 24.” Courtesy of the artist. 

Throughout this exhibition, the body often appears distorted, swathed in mesmerizing patterns, or removed from sight entirely. Disjointed limbs evoke the dehumanizing demands placed upon feminine presentation and conduct within the law, popular media, religious traditions, and family histories. Intricate fabrics and tattoos highlight the strength, beauty, and vitality of unfettered personal expression. Even when hidden from view, the body feels present, calling attention to the void where a form should be. Whether represented through stark archival photography, delicate graphite drawings, or a dazzling maximalist aesthetic, the feminine form becomes an intimate place to reclaim autonomy and confront the politicization of gender. 

The artists of On Her Terms entice the world to see reality through their eyes and experiences. Every work within this exhibition constitutes an act of reclamation: the continuous practice of rejecting ascribed, restrictive formats for experiencing femininity and exploring self-fashioned approaches to personal expression and freedom. 

This exhibition was organized by former FAM Curator Lauren Szumita and Terry and Eva Herndon Assistant Curator Eli Yung. On Her Terms: Feminine Power Embodied is supported in part by the Simonds Lecture Fund. 

Maria Yolanda Liebana, The World According to April 26, 2023, 2023, acrylic, molding paste, mixed media collage on wood panel, 60″ x 48.” Courtesy of the artist. 

Programs

Gallery Talks
April 7 AND May 19, 2:00 pm
Stroll the FAM galleries with exhibiting artists as they talk about their work in On Her Terms: Feminine Power Embodied.

Artist Talk: Maria Yolanda Liebana
April 28, 2:00 pm
Artist Maria Yolanda Liebana is a first-generation Latina artist. She reclaims once-familiar material goods to form objects with new value and meaning, such as high- and low-end art materials. Her work is oncluded in On Her Terms: Feminine Power Embodied.

About FAM
The Mission of the Fitchburg Art Museum is to inspire creativity and learning, and to contribute to the well-being of our diverse communities in Fitchburg, North Central Massachusetts, and New England.

To accomplish this mission, we organize exhibitions of the work of New England contemporary artists and artworks from our art historical collections, offer programs for learners of all ages, support public art projects, invite community participation and partnerships, and stimulate the local creative economy – all in the spirit of inclusivity.

The Fitchburg Art Museum serves the cities of Fitchburg and Leominster and the surrounding communities in North Central Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Founded in 1925, FAM plays a vital role in the cultural life of the region and has recently repositioned itself to focus on community access and service. FAM uses its artistic and educational resources to aid in the economic revitalization of Fitchburg, and the Museum maintains active educational partnerships with the local school systems, as well as Fitchburg State University. FAM is an engine for creativity, education, community building, and fun!

Hours:
Wednesdays through Fridays, noon – 4:00pm
Saturdays and Sundays, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Website: www.fitchburgartmuseum.org

Media Contact
Nick Capasso, Ph.D. (he/him/his)
Director
Fitchburg Art Museum
185 Elm Street
Fitchburg, MA 01420
(978) 424-4601
ncapasso@fitchburgartmuseum.org
www.fitchburgartmuseum.org