Identity

Exhibition catalog for "Identity" held at gallery nine5 in NYC from May 31 - June 22, 2014. In collaboration with gallery nine5, NYC, Karen Gutfreund, Exhibition Director of the Women’s Caucus for Art, announces an international exhibition of 25 works from 21 female artists juried by Anne Swartz and Maria Elena Buszek. In a world dominated by pop culture, society and the media – how is identity defined? Identity seeks to expose the extremism of a consumer culture dominated by Western notions of beauty and the pursuit of idealized feminine perfection by exploring themes of power, representation and objectification. Female artists, in particular, face the challenge of identifying themselves amidst a society determined to do it for them. The artists featured in Identity attempt to manipulate the boundaries of authority and dominance and explore deeper themes of control. The viewer is challenged to confront his or her own gaze on the body and reflect on the psychological aspects of the female persona. Drawing from a feminist perspective, the selected works aim to define gender and identity through the artist’s terms, whether through accepting or rejecting society's view, and voicing their individual definitions of the powerful feminine.