What’sSHEDoing?

RevisitingthePermanent Collection

What’s SHE Doing? is an exhibition in the McCormack Gallery that features AMA permanent collection works that were created by female artists. The exhibition title suggests, with a modern euphemism, that these women artists are “doing something wrong,” or that their behavior is anomalous to gender roles typically assigned to women.

While the title may seem to embody an almost juvenile tone that lacks understanding and empathy and implies these women artists are doing something so odd and out of the ordinary, it actually signals a change. The artists exhibited in this sampling of the AMA collection draw attention to the vast creativity of women in the early to mid-20th century across multiple borders and cultures. Their works speak to their growth and individual journeys as artists and act as a mouthpiece for their oft lesserheard stories.

Many creators in this exhibition, such as Marisol and Dorothy Dehner, have made an impact in the art world at large, contesting concepts of what art can be and how it should be considered, and underscoring the importance of creative expression. This exhibition examines a variety of different media, challenging what could be viewed as “craft” vs. “art,” particularly depending on whom the artist is. With paintings, studio glasswork, photographs, and sculptures on display, viewers will have an opportunity to get a sense of what she’s doing.