gallery nine5
24 Spring Street
New York, NY 10012
May 31 - June 22, 2014

Opening, May 31, 6-8pm

In a world dominated by pop culture, society and the media – how is identity defined?

In collaboration with gallery nine5, Karen Gutfreund, Exhibitions Director of the Women’s Caucus for Art, is pleased to announce an international exhibition of 25 works from 21 female artists.

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.

Curated by Anne Swartz and Maria Elena Buszek

Artists: Shonagh Adelman, Chan & Mann, Sally Edelstein, Claire Joyce, Lauren Kalman, Beth Lakamp, Jessica Lichtenstein, Jessica Maria Manley, Meghan Mantia and Leone Reeves, Sarah Maple, Ellen Deitell Newman, Samantha Persons, Mei Xian QIu, Jennifer Reeder, Phyllis Rosser, Sonal Shah, Erin Sparler, Joanne Ungar, Cristina Velazquez, and Meghan Willis.

Exhibition catalogue: http://issuu.com/karengutfreund/docs/identity_catalog_for_issuu