Artwork of the Week: March 3
Staring out from behind two black-and-white photographs, a woman in the center of the image stands out with her dark hair, hazel eyes, and red lips in full color. The juxtaposition between the overexposed photos and the woman is striking. The edges of the two photographs are torn unevenly, splitting at an angle suggesting that she had been previously obscured by the two images. This work can be viewed as a reminder of an unfortunate history of women artists who have been overlooked and whose work has been misattributed and cast aside. It also suggests a hope in a changing tradition as this woman confidently emerges out of obscurity—in describing the work, Thiessens explained that she wanted to show women breaking through societal expectations and making their mark. Here, the self-possessed woman, one of Thiessens’ college roommates at the time, appears from behind traditional imagery from the art historical canon. Half of her face is still covered, adding a sense of mystery and intrigue.
This week we acknowledge the contributions of women both in and out of the artworld as we celebrate International Women’s Day.
