History:
I began working on 100 Women in 2018 in collaboration with Italian artist Teresa Mangiacapra, from Naples, Italy. Teresa was part of a feminist collaborative performance group founded in 1970 by her sister, Lina, called Le Nemesiache (the nemesis). The idea behind Le Nemesiache is to propose a relationship that women can have with the world which differs from patriarchal standards. Teresa and I were working on a performance project together entitled io sono un intero loosely translated to mean I am Whole.
I was envisioning a background for us for this project, which consisted of holographic sculptures of women. Public spaces have always been loaded with monuments and historical replicas of men. If women are mentioned at all, it’s allegorically, like Virtue and Chastity. Our plan was to offset that by creating a series of images of women that would act as monuments in our performance space. In the interim, Teresa passed away. The project was handed off to me, and I was motivated to take it into a new direction.
I started by photographing twelve women in my studio, and turning those photographs into large scale banners an idea which came from the suffragists. I incorporated these banners into the performance I did of Collaborations Beyond the Veil in Italy in 2019 sort of like a test run version.
When it worked, I decided to develop the idea further, keeping in mind that the following year, 2020, would be the 100th anniversary of a great success in the suffrage movement: the ratification of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I decided to expand the project on a parallel, by photographing one hundred women.
I started by asking women in my own personal circle. Women who were retired, women who hadn’t joined the workforce yet. I asked for women of all titles; including, but not limited to, plumbers, teachers, therapists, writers, business owners, actresses, dancers, mothers, and
artists. I wanted a diverse group of women, but I wanted to show a common connection through the pose I asked them to hold and the gown I asked them to wear. It was important for me to build a relationship with them in the process, because it’ s a very personal thing to be photographed, especially in this way. This is where I was able to learn a little more about their lives and their responses to the feeling the project gave them.
The pose I chose for all the women to stand with was one hand on the heart, and one hand on the abdomen. This pose is an attempt to reconnect with seats of knowledge that, I believe, have been disavowed by patriarchy. The core knowledge that women hold by nature. Intuition and gut knowledge, cased near the stomach; and, of course, the heart knows so much. Under patriarchy, I believe there has been an over-rationalization of what knowledge is, and that over-rationalization has disregarded these natural forms of knowledge as the important compasses that they are.
These forms of innate, intuitive understandings also unite us as women should we allow them to and mainly because there is no hierarchy to it. It’s an intuition we all have in common, and it’s something we’re gifted as women. I wanted to push that forward.
This project neatly combines my performance work with my joy for collaboration. I am also pleased that it has taken on a virtual entity, because the audience can widen and vary to lengths that can’t be reached by only one gallery, or just one plaza, or even one period of time.
I’m humbled that One Hundred Women: Collaborations Beyond the Veil has come together in a time where so much of the world is also on the cusp of reimagination. Movements like Me Too, Black Lives Matter, and Time’s Up reconcile with the intersectionality of our long stretched feminist agenda. Our solidarity speaks the loudest, and I believe real change is coming. G.S.
THE CHICAGO WOMEN’S HISTORY CENTER was honored to support the most recent presentation of Ginny Sykes’ spectacular public art project 100 Women: Collaborations
Beyond the Veil, during August, 2020; the 100th anniversary month of the passage of the U.S. Women’s Suffrage Amendment. Through working with Ginny to develop an interpretive video for her piece, and supporting her bringing her work to a world-wide audience through a digital broadcast on Women’s Equality Day 2020, I developed a profound understanding of this project’s capacity to move, inspire, communicate, illuminate, astound, and transform.
The Chicago Women’s History Center (CWHC) was founded in the early 1970s, during the birth of the second wave women’s movement, to research, preserve, interpret, publish, and disseminate women’s history. At the time, we regarded this effort as a political act; a rebellion against a patriarchal system that erased women’s experiences, work, and ways of knowing on every level. For us, knowledge of women’s past activities women’ history was an essential ingredient in developing an enlarged consciousness that made possible the explosion of women’s activism during this time. It was understood that knowledge of women ’s history went hand in hand with women’s social and political activism.
Since its start in the 1970s, CWHC has participated in, and, at times, been at the forefront of, many evolutions of thought, subject, and method in women’s history. In the 1990s, we researched, wrote, and published an award-winning seminal book, Women Building Chicago 1790 – 1990, a Biographical Dictionary, which contains extensive biographies of 423 Chicago women, and, in its choice of entries, emphasizes diversity in backgrounds, class, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Our current project, “Documenting Women’ s Activism and Leadership in the Chicago Area, 1945 – 2000”, uses oral history interviews, collection of archival documents, and digital publishing to uncover, interpret, and share information about women’s activism particularly the activism of women of color during the late 20th century.
Because of this long-range perspective, I am particularly aware of the relevance of Ginny’ s 100 Women: Collaborations Beyond the Veil project to our current historical moment locally, nationally, and internationally. At a time when public monuments to famous men—symbols of a racist, classist, sexist past are being torn down in the name of a more enlightened and inclusive vision for society, Ginny’s one hundred beautiful banners honoring women’ s collective power arrive to take their place. At a time when the proper representation of history in the public arena and in our curriculum are being questioned on every level, 100 Women: Collaborations Beyond the Veil steps in with quiet grace to reveal alternative possibilities.
As a women’s historian, I am impressed with Ginny’s project on several levels. The mere fact that she interviewed and photographed 100 Chicago women of various ages, ethnicities, races, and backgrounds, and documented this material in the exhaustive catalog presented here, is, in itself, a notable accomplishment, and a significant contribution to women’ s history. Beyond that, her ability to evoke both the commonality and the specificity of the women photographed by posing them all in the same regal, draped dress with one hand on their heart and one hand on their abdomen the seats of female intuition brings a subtle sense of paradox, of “holding the tension of the opposites,” to the piece. It evokes the age old question at the heart of women’s history: are women the same, or are they different?
The form of Ginny’s piece is also remarkable. She has printed the full-length photos of each woman on translucent fabric, creating a series of banners that, when hung, gently undulate. They are flexible and porous enough to let light through, but at the same time, they are strong and resilient, reflecting attributes of the subjects they portray. This light-filled quality of the banners stands in striking contrast to more traditional masculine monuments crafted out of marble or stone. The form of the banners themselves are a reference to the original women suffragists who made powerful use of banners bearing hand stitched
slogans such as: "Mr. President: How Long Must Women Wait for Liberty" and "More Ballots, Less Bullets."
Today, we are experiencing a roll back of women’s rights on a national and international level. At a time when women’s bodies are under assault, when reproductive rights and justice are under siege, when the natural world is approaching a crisis point, and our most precious democratic values are threatened, the power, beauty, dignity, intimacy, and passion expressed by 100 Women: Collaborations Beyond the Veil is certain to be experienced as a welcome intervention, wherever it is displayed. I am happy to have been
involved in this project during its emergence in Chicago. I hope that it will receive the generous support it deserves in order to be seen and appreciated by an audience worldwide.
Mary Ann Johnson President, Chicago Women’s History Center
Ginny Sykes’ project 100 Women: Collaborations Beyond the Veil is a powerful addition to the feminist art tradition of image reclamation, and art making to advance social change. With the creation of 100 Women, Sykes has replaced the pervasive marble tributes to patriarchy and racism with monumental images exalting women’s grace and power, and illustrating the joining of identity and intellect with gut and heart.
In 1972, the artist Eleanor Antin was invited to show sculpture in the Whitney Annual. She exhibited her now iconic conceptual classical sculpture CARVING: A Traditional Sculpture. Antin recorded, in 148 black and white photographs, the “carving” of her body into a classical sculpture by dieting for a month. As with Ginny Sykes, Antin reclaimed the classical sculptural form to upend and repurpose it. Referring to her 2017 piece Time’s Arrow, an update of Carving 45 years later, Antin said, “The body and the self need each other…The self must have the body.”1 Sykes also believes that the body contributes knowledge to the self. Hence the pose she has chosen for her subjects; one hand on the chest and one on the abdomen, signaling to us a reminder that the body holds great wells of elemental insight and intuition.
Many previous wave feminist artists and contemporary makers such as Hannah Wilke, Lynda Benglis, Lorna Simpson, Valie Export, Mickalene Thomas, Cindy Sherman, Wangechi Mutu, and many more, have explored the disparity between the imposed external portrayals of women and the truer internal self-depictions. Addressing the simplified gaze that characterizes women subjects as monotone, Sykes sees her subjects as multi-faceted individuals. Rejecting the “male gaze” that objectifies women, Sykes has given agency to her subjects. Although the one hundred women assumed a prescribed pose, each participant
was able to project their individual “seats of knowledge”, dignity, and power. The results are stunning portraits of optimism, fortitude, innocence, pride, and solemnity. Some women engaged the camera straight on, and others gaze off, perhaps to a better future.
Connie Tell Chair, National Committee of The Feminist Art Project Former Director Center for Women in the Arts and Humanities, Rutgers University
1 Eleanor Antin video interview Eleanor Antin: Time's Arrow, LACMA, 2019
My admiration for Ginny Sykes, artist, friend, and supporter, goes far back to 1994 when she exhibited her work in Symbolic Visions together with Beatriz Ledesma, at Woman Made Gallery’s first Chicago location.
Since those early days, she has been actively producing and exhibiting her work, served as a juror in 1999 and 2006, had a solo show in 2008, and curated art entries for the Body & Brain group exhibition in 2013.
Ginny served on WMG’s board of directors from 2012 through 2017 and has advised the organization on a variety of important topics. I am truly honored and excited to share
Ginny’s most recent artistic project, 100 Women: Collaborations Beyond the Veil; a relevant and important exhibition to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage.
It is long overdue to empower and celebrate women in all public places, and I am so grateful to Ginny for her meaningful, beautiful, and thoughtful contribution to this important cause.
Beate Minkovski
Co-Founding Director, Woman Made Gallery
Gratitude:
I’d like to thank the women who bravely brought forth their energy, their time, and their story, in the name of feminism and connection, so that this project could reach one hundred more women.
Dear viewers, dear readers, dear women: thank you for daring to be yourself, and all the layers you encompass. As you are, is exactly as you should be.
In a world which deems it too radical, we are fighting for monuments of women just like you.
G.S.
“The true aim of female education should be, not a development of one or two, but all the faculties of the human soul, because no perfect womanhood is developed by imperfect culture.”
Francis Ellen Watkins Harper
“If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.”
Sojourner Truth
Albertina Yu
Global citizen. Woman of many interests.
Reflection:
I felt strong and centered during the posing. I thought the fabric showed my vulnerability as a woman, as it was not opaque but translucent, yet the mesh provided enough coverage to conceal the frame. As a woman who is an architect/builder, the concepts of One Hundred Women have so many parallels. I thank the many women and men who struggled, and paved the way to where we are today. Because of them, I have experienced and achieved more than I ever thought I would.
Amanda Maraist
I’m a movement deviser, improviser, and performer from the Texas Gulf Coast. I perform in Chicago with Khecari, and act as an operations assistant for the company. I also participate in other collaborative processes with local musicians and artists. My personal work aims to incite coincidences and accidents, irreverence, and a sense of place through authentic movement.
Reflection:
While the visual magnitude of the two hand placements says many things - I felt an ease of breath that I don't generally feel when in front of a camera. The gestures acted as some kind of self care. I felt very grounded, and present.
Anna Tishchenko
I was 31 years old at that moment of the photograph. I am a white Ukrainian woman. I moved to Chicago from Ukraine 2 and 1/2 years ago.
Reflection:
Taking part in the photoshoot, and being in the image chosen for the project, made me feel feminine. Nowadays, with this rhythm of life, with stress and physical activity, we often turn into a working unit, not a person, not a woman, but just a living individual. It was useful for me to feel the feminine nature of my existence.
Beatriz Ledesma
I am a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina. I’m a painter, educator, and psychotherapist, who was drawn to painting and drawing in my teen years. My interest in the practical applications of psychoanalysis and art for healing motivated me to obtain a doctoral degree, and focusing on the use of artmaking in clinical treatment of adults.
Reflection:
I love my body. This project gave me space to reflect on it and be grateful for it, but it also gave me the space to reflect on what it has meant for me to be the woman that I am now in my 60s; to reflect on all the women that crossed my path, leaving a mark on my soul, to reflect on the power of creative energy, and nurture what we, as women all around the planet, share with each other.
Bébhinn Gainer
I’m a granddaughter, daughter, cousin, sister, and friend. I love a good book, good music, and going on road trips. I was 11 years old when this picture was taken.
Reflection:
I wasn't sure how I would feel when I got my picture taken. I was nervous, but I loved being part of this project. I might be a photographer some day.
Bleusette Randall
I was born in Chicago and live here currently. I sell real estate and absolutely love my job! Being around people makes me so happy. It’s also fun showing homes and seeing the way people live. My favorite pastime is traveling. Being in other countries and experiencing different cultures makes me feel free. Hiking, skiing, and playing tennis are some of my hobbies.
Reflection:
I can’t say that I loved the pose. It looked great, but to be honest, I do not like my stomach. Holding my hand to my chest did make me feel strong. And proud. So, it was a bit of a push and pull in my mind.
Bria Dolnick
I’m a 37 year old woman from Chicago, IL. The mother of two young children, I love to write and cook, teach English to immigrant adults, and I enjoy biking around the city.
Reflection:
Feminist liberation means acknowledging and working to dismantle all systems of oppression. It means valuing labor that often goes unacknowledged as work.
Brigitte Haegdorens
Above all, I am an artist painting empowering art, and elevating the art of massage to a whole other level, just to name two. I’m exploring the art of living as a human "be-ing". For this purpose, I’ve dedicated my life to the studies and practices of the wisdom of the ancient sages. Mother of 4 children, and a beautiful granddaughter.
Reflection:
One hand on my heart, the other on my abdomen, connecting both centers of energy, of intuition. A wonderful symbol of how I strive to live my life; connected with my deepest self, with others (when they, too, are in touch with their heart), and the entire cosmos. The sacred femininity in all of us, living in harmony with one another. Not fighting against, but collaborating for and creating, a world we all love to live in. Together!
Cathi Schwabe
Born and raised in Wisconsin, in a 130 year old stone house. I come from a family of 9 children – most comfortable using their hands. Chicago resident for 30 plus years. I adhere to the Fluxus philosophy: “The distinction between Art and Life is irrelevant.”
Reflection:
It was an honor to be included in this work. Women of a certain age can often feel invisible in the world, and particularly in the world of art. I chose the date to be photographed, Aug. 29th, because it was my 59th birthday. The pose, one had on my chest and one at my abdomen, was a bit startling, at first. It meant being publicly intimate with my own body, in front of a camera, in draped finery that was unfamiliar. I posed, showing up as an open human. True liberation for women is liberation of all, regardless of one's category.
Carmen M. Perez-Stoppert
Artist and supporter of other Women Artists.
Reflection:
When we began the photo shoot, I was out of my comfort zone. Normally, I wear black. I do not wear white, do not wear dresses, nor do I go sleeveless. I always have my glasses on and wear jewelry. It is my gear and always has been. I always want to control the way I look, how I dress, and how I want to be perceived as a woman and as an artist. I was truly challenged in the name of art. I let my guard down, felt exposed, had insecurities, and body shame. I was glad to have been pushed out of my comfort place. This was a form of feminist liberation for me.
Christi Chong
Ceramic artist. Based in Los Angeles, by way of Chicago.
Reflection:
I associated the position of my hands with romantic ideas of femininity - being driven by emotions and the womb, and having a deep connection to our bodies and nature.
Colleen Perry
I am an actress with the Black Ensemble Theater.
Reflection:
True beauty lies in confidence, and a keen sense of self.
Connie Noyes
I’m an interdisciplinary artist whose practice is immersed in mourning research. My work considers grief to be a common ground, regardless of our differences. Creative projects such as The Good Mourning Café, Love Letters to the Lost, and Breathe reflect my commitment to the emotional honesty needed to heal by connecting with the community in intimate and regenerative spaces, both psychological and physical.
Reflection:
What I remember most strongly, was that posing while facing right was completely uncomfortable.
Corinne Peterson
I’m a clay sculptor and former psychotherapist. I began exploring clay in response to a dream. I continued to sculpt my dreams as part of a healing journey in Jungian analysis. I took an art and self-discovery sojourn in Sweden, exploring the landscape, which included an ancient burial cairn. This led to the Cairn Project; a series of clay workshops and cairn installations held over two and a half years, to bring the light of compassion to the darkness of trauma.
Reflection:
At first, I felt awkward putting on the diaphanous clothing and taking the directed pose, as though I were pretending to be something I am not. Then, I realized that the clothing, the pose, the hand gestures, all symbolized my deepest self that I am often afraid to claim. Standing there with my hand on my chest, I considered the inherent qualities of light and love, compassion, and wisdom of my heart-mind.
Cristina Barillas
I’m a plumber, mentor, sister. I am here to make your journey better than mine.
Reflection:
Feminist liberation, to me, is being a warrior for other women to succeed and achieve greatness.
Cynthia Carter
I am a Light seeker...I seek Light and love and express Light and love through the arts in the city of Chicago and abroad. I am Mother Earth, I am a Healer, I am WombMan.
Reflection:
When I put on that white gown and stood in my spot in the studio, Light immediately came in...I felt like I was standing over the earth, and everything was at my feet...allowing me the power to lift mankind and shift them to the Light...for in the Light is Freedom and Unity. It was truly an Amazing spiritual experience.
Cynthia Weiss
I am a studio artist, public artist, and arts educator. Previously, also the Director of Education at Marwen; a program that provides free arts courses for Chicago youth from underresourced schools and communities. I have directed public art projects throughout Chicago by transforming neglected spaces into local landmarks, including collaborative mosaic projects in my Edgewater community.
Reflection:
Feminist liberation, for me, has been a call to action; both a political movement to create a new society that values all genders, and an inner courage to live a life that embodies kindness, connection, and social justice.
Dede Fuentes
I live in Chicago, Illinois, where I rear a teenager, teach yoga, and try every single day to make sense of, and understand my place in, today’s political climate.
Reflection:
After realizing the scope of the project, I am energized and inspired by the eternal connection I now share with 100 other women. It’s visceral and accessible power. It’s SuperPower.
Diana Ornelas
I am a Latina mom of two beautiful girls. I was born and raised in Chicago, and I still reside very close to it. I love the variety my city has to offer. Both of my parents are from Mexico. I love to spend time with family. I believe family is the foundation and backbone of a strong, independent individual. I come from a strong knit family who can count on each other for anything, and I hope to be able to relay this to my girls.
Reflection:
Holding this pose highlighted a very gratifying moment in my life. Being a mom has been the most rewarding experience. I enjoyed the process because it focused and emphasized a large part of what being a woman is to me. It brought to light the idea that, even though I have become a mom, and my primary focus has slightly shifted, I am still a woman that can enjoy her own skin.
Deborah Peltz
I am a 64 year old woman from Chicago, Illinois. I have worked most of my life, birthed and raised two capable and beautiful children, and now, I am taking care of myself by making art and challenging my aging body to move in as many ways as it will. Having fun!
Reflection:
I approached the photo session very casually, not really expecting to feel anything. But once I put the garment on, I started to feel a little vulnerable without my street clothes on. At the same time, the weight of the garment on my shoulders made me stand a little straighter. I think I took my glasses off, so I couldn’t see as clearly, but the placement of my hands on my heart and belly highlighted the generous and productive aspects of my mind and body. That, and my stature had me feeling peaceful like a goddess.
Dorothy Dee Ellen Perry
I am a Chicago-based photographer, intuitively capturing the moving emotions of love in beautiful lifestyle portraits for couples, families, and personal commissions on location. Sensitive and artistic people are a special pleasure.
Reflection:
The experience of being photographed in a very simple manner (dress/lighting/ direction of pose) enabled me to relax and enjoy the experience, watch it with awareness, and in time, to come to embody Woman with the pose she had chosen for my portrait. The photographs and videos of the actual panels in situ, moving in the breeze, emanate an inspired elegant feminine presence that can be felt in viewing it.
Eileen Solomon
I am a recently retired journalist and journalism professor, who relocated to the Chicago area from St. Louis in 2018. My 20s and 30s were about career and family. In my 40s, I moved into academia, completed my PhD, and spent 27 years teaching college. I spend a lot of my time exploring creativity through fiber. A lifelong knitter, I learned weaving a few years ago and am fascinated by color, texture, and design.
Reflection:
Posing for the portrait was surprisingly empowering. I did not expect to be moved by the experience, but I was. My gut is where I hold anxiety, and that, combined with the beating of my heart, created a feeling of hope and strength. Holding my hands to my heart and abdomen, while wearing a diaphanous gown that various women had also posed in, connected me to both myself and the other women.
Elaine Bachman
I’m ninety years old. Sometimes I write, sometimes I perform. Have lived a life, still more lives to live.
Reflection:
A deeply moving experience. Our ages different, our lives so diverse. And yet, as women, our stories so similar, if one looks back through the ages.
Elishabath Leidy-Briggs
Born and raised in Chicago. Part of an eclectic and dynamic family. Dancer, crafter, student, educator, and world explorer. Deeply interested. Striving to create with more empathy and gratitude.
Reflection:
I always fancy myself as a liberated fem. I go around saying, doing, and acting as I please...mostly. Every now and again, if I am paying attention, I will catch myself holding back. And I always wonder, "Where is this coming from?" Then, I do my best to dismiss the thought, and continue on doing what is genuine for me. Who are we seeking liberation from... I feel very privileged that the only person I find myself struggling against, is me. Is this confidence, denial, empowerment, detachment...this is how I feel about it, today.
Elyse Martin
I was born in Chicago and have lived there most of my life. With breaks for chasing down celebrities and enjoying disco, I’ve been immersed in art all my life. I had to get special permission to study with Gustav Likan at the (now closed) Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, since nude models were used, and I was only 12 years old. Undaunted by the nudity, I thrived. This fueled my artistic expression with a love for art supplies, as I’d spend hours at art stores with my father.
Reflection:
As I posed in the ethereal dress, I felt connected to all the women who posed for this exhibition. I looked back to 1969 when, as a young woman, I took part in a Women's March on Wall Street; protesting the inequities of women's rights and securing my stance as a feminist.
Eva Baldinger
I am a 27 year old Chicagoan who identifies as she/her. I am a musician and avid environmentalist, and I love to spend the majority of my time outdoors, working on healing our planet.
Reflection:
This photoshoot was very empowering for me. I felt like an ancient goddess dressed in the robe, standing with my hands on my chest and abdomen. For me, feminist liberation means a world where women are not force-fed subliminal messaging about what femininity and female sexuality looks like. Feminist liberation is the ability to move through the world without fear, and to embrace the wild woman that lives within each of us.
Fartun Muhudin
Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, and raised in Albany Park. A natural socialite. I began my career by modeling for local clothing brands and contemporary photographers. Skilled in creating comforting and energetic spaces, I began coordinating galleries and pop up events for local artists and chefs alike. Currently, I’m a director of operations for Papí Pegaõ's Pop Up Kitchen, visual arts mentor for Project 6ix, and event coordinator for Poetry n' Chill.
Reflection:
Holding that pose brought me back to the time of my pregnancy. I felt that strange mixture of being powerful and vulnerable at the same time.
Gina Marino-Kalish
I was born and raised in Mexico City, but currently live in Chicago with my husband and pup. I have a son in college who I call and text relentlessly. I studied dance from a very young age, and I love it so much that I have brought it with me through all stages of my life. I currently own a vegan restaurant that I am very passionate about and am having a lot of fun experimenting with. I am grateful to be doing everything I love with people I love.
Reflection:
The minute I stepped into the blue gauze, the feeling was immediate. I felt a union; a connective energy with the women who had worn this uniform before me, and with the ones still to come. I honored the Feminine that surrounded and held us during the photo shoot, and basked in gratitude.
Helene Smith-Romer
Artist, collagist, curator, feminist, and full-time occupational Dadaist. I’ ve spent the last 35+ years pursuing and investigating the enigma of process, of thinking and creating. My road to absurdity began as a tot, collecting bits of garbage/discarded objects (bus transfers were her favorite) alongside buildings that were adjacent to her parents’ Ma and Pa candy/toy store. This is where her journey beganlooking for the poetry and enigma of life…
Reflection:
It was quite comfortable and natural. I relaxed and enjoyed the moment of being there...and let the process take over, losing all preconceived notions of time, or preconceived ideology of thoughts..
Hillary Miles
I was born and raised in the same Maryland county where Jim Henson grew up, and after making my way through some of the state's best public art school programs, I moved to the midwest to complete my BFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. 2020 marks my 10th year as a Chicago resident, where I live with my husband and our two old dogs. I make strange little paintings of dreamy and adventurous girls, and comically pathetic, forlorn, or otherwise wayward creatures.
Reflection:
A hand on the heart and a hand on the belly is my favorite position for resting and meditation it helps me stay connected to my breath and heartbeat; two grounding rhythms.
Holly Ferris
Originally from Peoria, IL, I have lived in Chicago since 1992. Single, no kids, but the proud aunt of four nieces and a nephew. Love yoga, travel, dogs, NPR, podcasts, books, and probably too much bad TV:)
Reflection:
While I was a little self-conscious, it felt cool to be part of someone's vision. It's interesting because you have an image of yourself, but the photos reflect something completely different.
Holly Joy Wertman
I was raised in Los Angeles, California, right next to the ocean. After a rough few years, I am in the process of relearning who I am. My therapist told me that it might help to make lists of things I like: boba, film photography, long conversations with strangers, disco music and dancing, French poetry, thrift shopping, patterned pants, etc. And lists of things that I am: a woman, queer, empathetic, a fighter (not a victim), extroverted, a caretaker, Jewish, fun, a good friend, and daughter.
Reflection:
This photo was taken approximately one week after I left my abusive partner. I can’t describe how I felt at the time like I was on a different frequency from the rest of the world, but also like I was breathing for the first time in four years.
Indira Johnson
I’m an award-winning artist, peace activist, and educator. My work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. The influences of my mother, a social activist, and my father, an artist and a follower of the philosophy of Gandhi, have been predominant in my life and art. My belief that art and activism are a powerful combination for social change has fueled my passion to make art part of everyday life. Involving local communities in the art process is evident in all my work.
Reflection:
I was a little uncomfortable in the beginning, and concerned by the transparency of the fabric that enveloped me. Gradually, partly because of the project's intent and the directions given, I felt more confident in my poses and the power of the moment.
Irene Ibarra
I was born in Texas and raised in Chicago. I am 19 years old and a second year college student. I will pursue a master's in social work. I look forward to helping people, and it would be nice to have the opportunity to be there for someone who needs it most. There are people out there who have lost hope, and they seem as if they have run out of options, but I am ready to equip myself so that I will be ready to help.
Reflection:
When I put my hand on my chest, I felt as if I was trying to protect myself. I have not yet been pregnant, but it felt as if I was almost trying to protect my body and my child from any harm before coming into this world. To me, feminist liberation means I can do what I want, equally as a man can do, and I don't have to be controlled by what men have to say to me.
Jacqueline Sinclair
I’ve been a member of the Joel Hall Dancers for nearly thirty years. I’ ve worked with guest artists Sarita SmithChilds, Lisa Johnson-Willingham, Ray Mercer, Troy Powell, James Morrow, William Gill, Joel Valentin-Martinez, and Jarrett Rashad Kelly. I have traveled nationally and internationally with the company, including England and Mexico.
Reflection:
There is always a transcendence that occurs when a dancer puts on a costume. The costume, or mask, or hat, will breathe its life into your physical form. It seeps into your body, resulting in a change of emotion and character and this, therefore, informs the soul. In return, the soul instructs the body how to fully express with freedom and authenticity.
Jackie Taylor
I’m from Chicago, Illinois. I love to produce, write, act, sing, dance, exercise, and be the boss. I identify as she and her. I also identify as an African American woman.
Reflection:
I loved the photo shoot. It was easy and very relaxing. The costume and pose made me feel like an ancient African Queen; a very important part of my ancestry. My associations to the concepts described in the exhibit are the boldness and honesty from which it is derived. Feminist Liberation, for me, expresses the equality of women on all levels of existence.
Jamie Young
Attorney from Los Angeles. Wife and proud mom to two kids and a dog.
Reflection:
I was very self-conscience. Don't like to be the focus of attention. Pose did not feel natural for me.
Janis Pozzi-Johnson
I am an artist, a painter, a mother of one living child and one non-living, a meditation practitioner, a survivor of great loss, a student of wonder.
Reflection:
Being photographed is one of my great discomforts. That all disappeared when I stood in front of the camera, wrapped in beautiful fabric, with hand on heart and belly. I felt strong, respected, beautiful. I felt connected to primal, inherent goodness. I felt liberated.
Jennifer Asimow
I’m an Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at the City Colleges of Chicago. I’ve been married for 27 years to Larry. We met while I was serving in the Peace Corps in Mali, West Africa. We have two adult sons, and have parented countless pets over the years. I’m dedicated to public service as a change agent for young children and their families in Chicago.
Reflection:
I am not sure what feminist liberation means, but I consider myself a feminist in general. I have always felt empowered as a woman. I was raised to be strong, confident, and every bit as good as everyone else in the world; men included. I felt rooted in power as I held the pose for the photographs, and loved how beautiful all of the women looked in the same pose.
Jessie Smith-Larson
I currently reside in Chicago, where I’ ve been working as a visual artist and brand designer for the past 22 years. One of the most incredible things about the human spirit is our ability to find beauty, even in times of sorrow. We are all fragile machines relying on human connections to lift us from our lowest moments. Following a series of tragedies in my life, I began creating work that explores the bond that survives after a great loss.
Reflection:
For a fleeting moment during the photoshoot, a feeling uniquely unknown to me materialized. I felt a flicker of something that could have resembled being maternal. Then reality returned. I realized this feeling wasn’t real. Only what I imagined it would feel like. The idea of growing someone who will never be.
Jezebel Turner
I grew up in Chicago with two sisters, and a family of strong women around me. I am most passionate about my work and my study, along with a love of the natural world and all I can explore within it.
Reflection:
Lucky enough to grow up in a world of strong women, I am still reminded every day of my life how I must be careful not adhere to the whims of men. To tone down my femininity is to be seen as strong and taken seriously. In reality, being a woman is what makes me the most strong, intelligent, and successful human being I can be. Standing proudly, unafraid and unashamed of the power of the female body and soul, is an unparalleled reminder of our worth, and our unequivocal power.
Joanne Gannett
I teach Art History and Visual Culture courses at Columbia College Chicago. I’m also involved in a community garden, and neighborhood projects; all of which bring me joy.
Reflection:
I remember being surrounded in folds of flowing fabric and feeling connected to the many, other women, who would also be sharing this experience with me.
Julia Getz
I am 22 years old. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and now living in San Francisco, California. I love being outdoors, cooking, reading, and exploring different cities and countries.
Reflection:
This pose, with one hand on my chest and one on my abdomen, made me feel powerful and proud. Although these photos were taken individually, while posing for the photo, I felt part of a community of women. To me, feminist liberation means finding strength in both independence and interpersonal support through our experiences as women.
Julia Sowles-Barlow
I am a visual artist with 20+ years experience helping to design, fabricate, and install large scale public art. My favorite job title is Muse. I studied at La Scoula Di Mosaico in Spilembergo, Italia, honing my craft in the traditional methods. I’m the mother of Phoenix Rose, a job I take with the utmost fun and importance. I strive to make the world a better, more beautiful place, one tile at a time.
Reflection:
I have had some modelling experience in the past, so the experience wasn’t new to me. I am honored to be included in such a powerful work of art.
Kara Brody
I’m based in Chicago, Illinois, working as a dance artist; teaching, moving, and collaborating on various projects. I enjoy impromptu dances with my dog, late night movies, and finding new coffee shops to get lost in.
Reflection:
It felt very familiar to be standing in this position. Covering the stomach and heart felt grounding, but also brought up images of female reproductivity, sexuality, identity. The light blue/teal cloth made me feel light, and captured a version of what beauty is thought to be. I felt powerful, like I had a purpose, but also felt delicate. It reminded me of my femininity, and the various ways femininity can be represented.
Kara Jefts
I’m an artist, art historian, and archivist living in upstate New York.
Reflection:
When I posed for this photograph, I had a chance to reflect on the common bond between all women. It may sound cliché, but I think sisterhood is a critical piece to navigating the world as a woman. Without those relationships, and that understanding of oneanother's position, the reality of the challenges we face would be unbearable. We are lucky in this way, for every adverse challenge we face as a woman, there is another who is there to help lift us up.
Karen Kochan
I am a 32 year old young woman, born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. I work part time, and am a wife and mother to a 9 month old baby boy, full time. My family is my passion. I am a new mom, so just as everything is new to my baby, so is everything to me in motherhood. Raising my son and teaching him about our world is what I love to do. I also take pleasure in DIY home projects and decorating.
Reflection:
Being photographed holding my growing belly, in my 3rd trimester of pregnancy, was an amazing experience. I say this because there was a time when I questioned if I would ever have the opportunity to become a mother to my own biological child. In that moment, I felt thankful to be able to enjoy the experience in, what I believe, was the most beautiful I have ever looked and felt.
Karen Lohss
I recently moved to Denver, after 40 years in Chicago. I work for Accenture, and am now a Mimi. I love everything about my new role as a grandmother, and my work! When I am not heads down at work or holding Leonie, I love cooking, travel, and reading.
Reflection:
During the photo shoot, I was impressed at how much I could feel the connection between chest (heart) and abdomen (womb). My work has been about making sure women have a seat at the leadership tables of Corporate America, and that work has been about being truly authentic to my feminine self, and tapping into all that means.
Karyn Kozak
I'm from Chicago and spend several months of the year living in St. Petersburg FL. I've been a graphic designer, glassblower, ceramic artist, jewelry maker, gardener, traveller. I love to look, and to make, and to figure out how things work.
Reflection:
On the day of my 100 Women session, I had been working on purging some of the many books and magazines I seem to collect and often don't get to reading. It felt great to get out and dressed up in a gauzy costume, not meaningful to me, but as part of a larger project. After all, nothing has meaning except what we choose to give it.
Kim Laurel
45 years old and resides in Houston, Texas. Personal work includes: painting, printmaking, collage, and mixed media works
Reflection:
In so many ways, this collaboration is a manifestation of the sea of female energy and timeless strength beyond adversity. The collaboration reminded me of a vivid dream I had many years ago. It was shortly after my marriage had ended. In the dream, I glimpsed an infinite number of women, all damaged, all hurt, all betrayed, all wounded. They were of all ages, all creeds, reaching back in time. I could see so many faces filled with anger and betrayal. They went on forever. It was an epiphany.
Kristen Marie-Thorpe
Single mom and heart of gold from San Diego, California, raised in Chicago.
Reflection:
The pose felt very natural and feminine to me; mother-like, and nurturing. It made me feel beautiful and grounded in my womanhood.
Laura Molzahn
I'm a retired editor and dance critic from Minnesota. I love to dance, though it's getting harder and harder. I married, for the second time, after my husband of 25 years passed away in 1997. My daughter is now 33.
Reflection:
To be honest, the prescribed pose felt unnatural to me, as a woman more than 15 years after menopause. I associated it with bearing children which, for me, is very far from all it means to be a woman.
Laurie Cohen
I work in finance; I hike, bike, and photograph in nature, and pursue new adventures.
Reflection:
While posing in the studio, my mind went blank as I settled into the moment.
Leslie Arreguin
I'm the daughter of two Mexican immigrants, and I am Mexican American myself. I am currently a student who is passionate about learning. I grew up on the west side of Chicago, on the border of Austin and Humboldt Park, surrounded by predominantly African American and Hispanic people. I love reading, but more than that I love film and cinematography. I look up to powerful and hardworking women like my mom.
Reflection:
As I held my hand to my chest and my hand to my stomach, I started to think of what my future held for me as a mother and as a lover. The stomach I associated with a woman's womb, and the chest I associated with my heart.
Linda Silbert
I have been passionate about Pilates for over 30 years! My love of this method of exercise began while attending classes at the studio where Joseph Pilates first taught in New York City. After two daughters and a move to Chicago, I became a certified Pilates instructor. I bring enthusiasm and experience to my Pilates clients, and an energetic spirit to my husband.
Reflection:
I loved holding this pose, and felt completely engaged in the process. I felt aligned with the purpose of letting women have control of their bodies and of the freedoms we deserve.
Lisa Gendel
I am a 58 year old woman/mother/ partner/sister/aunt/cousin/real estate broker and counselor/friend. Chicago born, Chicago raised, Chicago based, with a very clear understanding of how important it is to be a global citizen of the world.
Reflection:
In that brief moment, I tried to conjure up the images of all those I had seen holding a similar pose before me. I felt heard, as well as seen. I felt proud to hold that pose. I was reminded of all those who matter.
Lisa Nigro
I founded the Inspiration Cafe in 1989 (now Inspiration Corporation) while on beat as a Chicago police officer. Searching for a personal response to the people I encountered, I borrowed my nephew’s red wagon, filled it with coffee and sandwiches, and pulled it around the Uptown neighborhood to offer them a little dignity and respect. The wagon grew into a van, bus, and eventually a full-service cafe, where men and women experiencing homelessness could sit down, order off a menu, and be served.
Reflection:
One hand on my heart and one on my belly, the two places that create change for me in this world. My work in the world has been about giving voice to those who have been silenced or devalued in our society. I do this work being led by my heart and following the signs from my gut.
Lucy Slivinski
I’m a critically acclaimed sculptor and installation artist based in Chicago. I hold an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art, and a BFA from Northern Illinois University. I have utilized recycled materials in my practice for over 30 years.
Reflection:
Standing for those few moments with my hand on my heart and belly, wearing a robe that was unlike anything I could imagine wearing, made me feel what it was to be a classical woman. The symbol of woman and what that means. I felt power, strength, and memory ancient to the future.
Makeba Kedem-DuBose
I’m a Chicago native and a multidisciplinary artist and curator, practicing throughout the greater Chicagoland area, both regionally and internationally.
Reflection:
I recalled the paintings of my mentor, a Jesuit priest who painted images of Black people as saints and other biblical figures. Wrapped in flowing cloth, in a still, quiet moment, though he never got to paint me...I recall having a feeling of peace, and feeling like I was one of the saints portrayed in my mentors paintings of long ago.
Marian Nixon
I’m an artist and designer in Chicago, IL.
Reflection:
Modeling has never been a consideration in my real or imagined world. It was never a goal or a dream. So, in my 58+ years, I have never stood in front of a camera in a photographer’ s studio in a beautiful, flowy long gown and had my photo taken. I felt so PROUD.
Mariel Brunman
I’m a justice advocate in New York. I am frustrated by a lack of diversity and transparency in law and public policy, and I’m working to promote equity in bureaucratic institutions.
Reflection:
I remember holding one hand above my chest and one above my belly, and wondering if I looked pregnant (I'm not). On one hand, I hoped that I did not look pregnant, because of vanity spurred on by contemporary society. On the other hand, it was readily apparent to me that this awareness and subtle anxiety was self-imposed and entirely controlled by my own willingness to be victim to social convention. Feminism takes many shapes and forms. It's more about the willingness to adjust and find comfort in strength than remaining strong all the time.
Mary Davis
I was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and have lived mostly in Chicago, with stints on both coasts. I've studied and practiced my loves, art and design, as well as darker, more financially remunerative art such as marketing and development, for art NFP's (mostly) to support myself and my family.
Reflection:
Wrapping myself in yards of blue polyester in the studio bathroom, my thoughts meandered about: But polyester is so ugly! Did real Caryatids have to strip and get dressed in ordinary bathrooms like this? What if my stomach looks huge and my breasts look flat and floppy in the photos?
But whatever I was momentarily feeling was, in the end, subsumed into the artistic vision.
Mary Joyce-Cahill
Native New Yorker, living in Chicago via Ireland. Equal rights champion with primary focus on healthcare for all, including traditional and native approaches. Adjectives that have been used to describe me: outspoken, human rights defender, a good dancer and terrible singer.
Reflection:
Posing with one hand on my chest and one on my abdomen was empowering, connecting to the creativity center and heart center. Feminist liberation has so many meanings, it is part of basic human rights. This project reinforces this concept and the power of women.
May Santiago
I’m a lifelong resident of Chicago, and have been active in the labor movement for over 20 years.
Reflection:
Misogyny dehumanizes women. Dehumanizing language is not new, and what we are seeing is that incidents like these are happening in a pattern. This is a pattern of an attitude towards women and dehumanization of others.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Megan Rose Philbin
Ghost story enthusiast and labyrinth walker, celebrating the divine feminine and the freedom of the open road. Massage Therapist and Doula.
Reflection:
In a single unfertilized egg is infinite possibility. The potential from which I sprang existed within generations of my matriarchal line. As a woman existing in 2020, I can choose to procreate and not to be defined by it. This creative potential can be manifested in my writing, my work in the world, and the way I love those around me. It is no small miracle that the children I love in the future can come to me from other family lines, other infinite possibilities. I have always wanted to foster, to adopt. We are all connected. Through time, love, and infinite possibility.
Melanie Liss
I am a lifelong Chicagoan who spends most of my time teaching preschool, playing tennis, working in clay, and enjoying friends and family.
Reflection:
I see women’s rights as human rights. This piece speaks to the types of connections women are capable of making with other women and the common cause all sorts of women can find with each other.
Melanie Tillmanns
I read a lot when I was a kid. People would say “Get your nose out of that book” or “Come up for air.” From my Dad I’d often hear, “Turn off the light go to sleep.” Words – the power of words is what I understood early. Writing, for me, is a way to find the words to tell a story, immerse the mind, enliven the senses. In the last few years, I’ve written many stories and stumbled into a bit of poetry. This year, I wandered into fiction. I love it all.
Reflection:
Serendipity, synergy. The world is small, close, surprising.
Minerva Mendoza
I am 51 years old, and proudly born and raised in Oaxaca, Mexico. I love visiting my country as often as I can. I feel relaxed and enjoy spending time with my family back home in Oaxaca. I love to bake and cook, and always enjoy learning new recipes and ideas. I consider myself to be a strong and independent woman. But, I also have a soft and loving heart for people I care for and who care for me.
Reflection:
As I posed for this picture, I felt very proud and happy to be a woman. Women play a huge role in society, we are strong and are the pillar to most families. We are capable of doing anything we set our mind to.
Miriam Socoloff
I was raised by a single mom in a home immersed in art. My mother, Beatrice Socoloff, was a self-taught artist. She came from a working-class family and her formal education ended in the 10th grade. Despite her struggles to support us, she painted murals on the walls of our apartments, and always had a painting in progress on her easel. Lately, I have been interested in making portraits of people with whom I have a strong emotional connection.
Reflection:
Posing in the shimmering, goddess-like drapery, I felt serene and powerful. I thought about my sisters in the women's liberation movement of the 1970's and felt proud that so many of us are still fighting for human liberation today. I remembered the wonderful comrades I have lost: Anne Doubilet, Laurie Sucher, Barbara Pruzan, and Susan Schechter.
Monica Brown
I explore memory, history, and personal mythology through visual art, sound, movement, writing, and performance. My visual art has been exhibited widely throughout Chicago, nationally and internationally.
Reflection:
The connection between the body, personal history, memory, and healing informs my life and work. Placing one hand on my chest and the other at my abdomen is a gesture that I use in my personal yoga practice, and as an instructional position when teaching pranayama (yogic breathwork). This placement of my hands to my body exist, for me, as heart center and womb: the seats of intuition, feminine power and compassion.
Nancy Frank-Thomas
New York City is where my roots and sense of home is, though I have lived in Chicago and discovered many wonderful and distinctly "only found in Chicago" sites, for over 20 years. My now chosen profession is working in partnership with others to connect them to their authentic self, and nurture their good feelings. Learning to be me, and finding the best of me, has been a process of faith and persistence.
Reflection:
In stillness, I thought of my exposed, aging, womanly body that told only one truth of the aging process. I thought back to my youth, of being privileged to stand up for equality in dress codes, in protesting the Vietnam war, and standing up for the freedom to decide the future of what my body carries. This experience re-ignited my own spark, which I had long ago forgotten.
Naomi Woodspring
The focus of my work is exploring the first wave of the postwar generation, embodiment, and time. My groundbreaking work on aging takes a widely interdisciplinary approach, bringing together insights from culture, history, gerontology, demographics, and more to paint a picture of how this cohort has faced aging and its physical, mental, emotional, and social effects.
Reflection:
As a Five Rhythms and Ecstatic dance practitioner, my gesture in the photo was one I have returned to over and over again. It is a place that feels like home - comfortable and selfembracing. Feminist liberation has been a long journey for me; one that not only includes emotional and mental shifts, but changes in my sense of embodiment.
Nina Weiss
I’ve been painting and drawing the landscape for over thirty years. I travel extensively to research and document inspirational landscapes at home and abroad. I complete my large-scale landscape paintings in my Evanston studio. My large-layered compositions evoke the lush feel of landscape in deep, saturated color. My surfaces are alive with gesture and emotion.
Reflection:
I appreciated the opportunity to be a part of this project, to stand proud and ALMOST naked, as a "goddess”.
Nora Gainer
I’m a daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt and friend. I believe in the power of art to transform people's perceptions. Recently, I celebrated my 10 year anniversary at the Art Institute of Chicago. I’m currently the Director of Civic Relations and Partnerships, which involves cultivating creative partnerships throughout the city of Chicago and Illinois reinforcing the museum’ s role as an integral part of the daily fabric of our city’s life.
Reflection:
I have always believed in reincarnation. Being captured in this ethereal moment made me think about all of life's possibilities, and random permutations.
Olivia Gann
I'm originally from Evanston, Illinois, but I've lived in Austin, San Francisco, and France before moving back to Chicago last year. For work, I do mechanical design for parts that go into consumer electronics products (phones and wearables). Outside of work, I love to jog, make jewelry, do things outside, walk around neat places, pull pranks on people around me, and spend time with family/friends.
Reflection:
Feminist liberation, to me, means women receiving the same opportunities as men, without feeling any need to hide or quell any stereotypically feminine aspects of our physicality or mental affect. This applies not only to opportunities at work, but opportunities across society at large.
Pauline Kochanski
I live in Chicago. While my art ranges in scope from 2-D to 3-D, using a multitude of materials (graphite, ink, ceramic and more), my intent is constant. My work comes from the heart and the mind. The art reflects my place in the written past, the unknowable future, or the current moment. My meditation practice keeps me balanced. I consider myself a learner, sharer, and teacher. I live, make art, and teach art and meditation in Chicago.
Reflection:
Holding this pose was more than the position of my hands; with the robe, I felt like an ephemeral being. I loved the fact that I could connect with all the women of this project through wardrobe & hand positions, part of a greater relationship to women.
Phoenix Sowles Barlow
I am a 13 year old visual artist and dancer. I am quite sensitive, intuitive, and kind. I am gifted in my baking skills, and prefer making delicious cakes and desserts. I have nomad aspirations. I dream of buying and renovating a bus or van one day to travel the world.
Reflection:
Being photographed was kind of fun. It was cool to see the set up and how it was placed. It was also cool to be a model. It was also kind of awkward because I didn't know what to do.
Pinar Aral
I am a visual artist creating shapes in clay.
Reflection:
Standing for this project, with one hand on my heart and the other hand on my womb, made me feel powerful and connected to my own womanhood.
Rachel Abramson
I am a 67-year-old woman, a mother, a nurse, a Chicagoan, and an activist for my entire adult life. I've spent my career supporting equitable healthcare and support for mothers, babies, and their families.
Reflection:
I attended the photo shoot with my (very pregnant) daughter. I was overwhelmed by her loveliness in the pose, and the iconic beauty of a pregnant woman's body. Sitting for the shoot myself, in the same pose, I could feel the connection to women of all ages and stages through the millennia.
Rachel Getz
I am a woman. I am from Evanston, Illinois. I love to help others. I love to paint, take boxing classes, cook, spend time with my family and friends, and I love my work. I am a social justice warrior.
Reflection:
I felt strength and power as a woman, posing with one hand on my chest and one at my abdomen. I felt connected to other strong women.
Rebecca Williams
I am 45 years old, and I live in Texas with my husband and two sons. I have experienced amazing love and smiles in my life, and I have a goal to keep growing and seeking authentic happiness in all my days to come.
Reflection:
I am a mom of two boys, who spends her days responding and reacting to the needs of my family before my own. To have the opportunity to pause and be nothing more than me, but be seen for all the power and beauty encompassed in my womanhood, was a gift. The gown was weightless and the light ethereal, and my spirit glowed at the opportunity to partake in such an amazing celebration of womanhood.
Robin DaSilva
I am a singer-songwriter, actress, educator, and advocate for the arts. I have performed in many theatrical productions throughout the Chicagoland area. I am a choral director and vocal arranger as well. I believe that the arts can be used as a pathway to reach at-risk youth and heal the world!
Reflection:
I thought that the hand over the chest is for protection of the heart, and the other hand over the abdomen symbolizes how in our daily lives, women bear enormous blows to our womanhood. Still and yet, we stand tall!
Ruby Barnes
I am an artist based in Chicago. I create works of art using dyes, bleach, silk screen inks, and assorted fabrics that address spirituality and sacred geometry.
Reflection:
The position we were asked to hold was like a special mudra; whose power was to help us remember our sacredness as feminine beings on the planet at this time, and our role in the evolution of our species, no less.
Sandy Roth
I was born and raised in Battle Creek, Michigan, and was fortunate to have parents that instilled in me that women are strong, smart, and equal to any man. After living in various cities for college, graduate school, law school, and work, my husband of forty years, our four children and I have made Chicago, Illinois our home; for over 20 years. What is most special to me as a woman, is that I have been fortunate to experience life as a daughter, sister, wife, and mother.
Reflection:
The session was particularly special for me, because I was able to share the experience with my sister and a close friend. I am so proud to be a part of an exhibition honoring women of all ages, shapes, and sizes.
Sarah Rose Sykes-Goldsmith
I was born and raised in Chicago. Some of my early childhood years were spent in Italy and traveling internationally with my family. My professional work focuses on health and wellness, cannabis education, and enhancing joy. I am a devotional wife, passionate friend, empath, advocate, and entrepreneur. I am fascinated with spirituality and the human experience, as well as concepts of the Divine Masculine-Feminine, and the Universal.
Reflection:
Posing for the photographs felt intimate, and also like there was an energy with us that was much bigger than the space. Immersive. As I embodied the pose, I thought of goddess associations to help me feel like myself while responding to and participating in the photographic experience.
Sarah Seidler
I am a 62 year old psychotherapist, and in many ways, this has defined me for the past 37 years. I was fortunate to marry a husband with two children, and was able to participate in raising young children. This allowed me to expand my understanding of relationships and development as a different kind of participant. My love of animals has also evolved into a romance with all of nature, which has been extremely rewarding as I get older. I am not an artist, but my love of art and my artist friends are part of who I am. I love natural light, plants, and art.
Reflection:
It was an unfamiliar experience for me, to be in a costume posing in a way where I wasn't just smiling into a camera. I tried to feel light and airy and spiritual, but was unable to get mundane thoughts out of my mind.
Sayaka Shiokawa
I am from Japan. I live in Chicago with my husband. I love to eat, read, and listen to music. I love animals, especially dogs. My dream is to travel all over the world after retirement.
Reflection:
I felt solemn and strong when I held one hand on the chest and one hand on the abdomen in the drapery costume. I’ve never posed for artistic purposes before, but I felt so good. Unfortunately, Japan is far behind in terms of feminism and gender diversity. Many of us are still suffering from many unspoken rules. All human beings should have the rights to decide how they live and what they choose, I believe.
Sharon Bladholm
My work has been profoundly influenced by participation as an artist, on scientific expeditions to remote and biologically diverse ecosystems of the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon, and on expeditions with the Field Museum, Conservation International, and Andes to Amazon Biodiversity Program. I have long explored the interfaces of art, science, conservation, and nature in numerous series of artworks, and in diverse mediums including glass, bronze and ceramic, as well as works on paper.
Reflection:
I felt strong, beautiful and powerful wearing the gown, and I loved hearing about this important and timely project. May it travel far and wide, waving in the wind, and weaving a spell.
Sharon Gilmore
I’m an Evanston based artist. My experiences as a nurse profoundly influenced my artistic life. In the early 1970's, I volunteered as a public health nurse in the altiplano of Peru. During these two years, I witnessed many sacred ceremonies, and learned about symbols incorporated into weavings and pottery. It was in Peru that I started making art. I’m continuously drawn to cultures vastly different from my own.
Reflection:
My image hangs in succession with all women, from way, way back to beyond the horizon. Women residing above to those deep below. In succession, women forming the Great River that I am part of, as the River that I am.
Simone Turner
I am from Uptown, Chicago. I am a student at University of Michigan getting my degree in the School of Information. I love reading, exploring the outdoors, studying politics, and running outside. I aspire to work in the technology world in order to make it a place that is more socially conscious and that produces technology that will better our world. Social justice should be at the forefront of technology, and that is the work I would like to do with my life.
Reflection:
I felt unified with the others in the project, as we all were told to do the same position. I did the photo shoot with my twin, which made it a more beautiful experience. To me, feminist liberation means teaching each new generation of young women that they matter and are powerful.
Sloane Silbert
I was raised in a family where health, wellness, and fitness were emphasized (my father is a Chiropractor/Nutritionist and my mother is a Certified Pilates Instructor.) My personal commitment and drive for fitness began because of an injury. I broke my femur when I was 10 years old, which required 3 surgeries and extensive rehabilitation. I began to run, and ran through High School and College on the Cross Country and Track teams. I now bring that passion to Pilates.
Reflection:
I felt feminine and powerful as I held that pose. I was holding all the women in the world, and I felt completely connected to the purpose.
Suzanne Rosencrans
A native New Yorker, I've now been living in Los Angeles for longer than I lived back east. Family is extremely important to me. I'm fortunate that my parents now live on the West Coast, and my daughter has moved back to Los Angeles after college to teach public school. My husband and I are both attorneys, and, late in our careers, find ourselves enjoying our work more than ever; which is a pleasant surprise. Outside of work, I try to give back to our city through volunteering with various non-profits. I (to quote my family) often embark on "self-improvement" projects, such as learning Spanish online, and recently becoming a Bat Mitzvah.
Reflection:
I believe there's something very special about the sisterhood of women, and the emotions and experiences we share.
Teresa Tafolla
My name is Teresa Tafolla. I am from Michoacan, Mexico. I am 42 years old. I am a housekeeper. I have three children.
Reflection:
When I was asked about taking these pictures, I felt glad to be thought of. When the day came, I wanted to run away! But when I looked at the camera, I felt like a model.
Teri Rabai
Born Sopron, Hungary. Have lived in many places, but now I call Chicago my home.
Reflection:
The day of the photo shoot felt hot and humid, sweaty thinking of the breeze.
Terri Drews
I am a female, mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, colleague, social worker, community member, traveler, learner, beach bum, and I live in Evanston, Illinois, United States. I love to read, travel, swim, practice yoga, meditate, dance, cook, garden, hike, ski, and spend time in Hawaii. I am most proud of my three adult daughters, and love engaging with them as a friend and mentor, admiring them as they evolve into strong, courageous, and interesting young women.
Reflection:
Feminist liberation, to me, means to be free to be myself; free of judgment and criticism, to notice and follow my intuition, and be true to my own spirit.
Terry Zheutlin
I am a 69 year old retired physician from Chicago. After a fulfilling career, I am enjoying this new phase of my life. People always ask me what I do with my “free time”, and I tell them that I don’t know. I just know I am busy all the time.
Reflection:
I came of age during the Women’ s Liberation Movement, and I became a cardiologist when women were just entering the field. I experienced the challenges of a woman learning to balance her professional and personal life. I believe that 40 years later, women in that role still face the same challenges. Still, for me, (despite the demands) I loved what I did. I felt I was contributing to society and, hopefully, had a positive impact on both my family and the patients that I treated.
Thea Rose Bessie Tabatowski
I am from Zanesville, Ohio. I am a licensed Esthetician (skin care). I love performing facials, waxes, and body treatments on my clients to make them feel more beautiful in their own skin. I identify as an extraordinary young women, who is learning about herself and her confidence. I love myself, and I love to make others feel the same way.
Reflection:
Holding the pose with my hand on my chest and the other on my abdomen was very empowering, in many ways. It could mean fertility; “the strongest women become the strongest mothers”. It could mean starting to feel beautiful in your own skin for the first time. I believe there are many different meanings to the pose.
Ursula Moreno-Vanderlaan
I am a 29 year old woman, who has sold shoes, has ran university administrations, and written code for a living. I would like to help shape tech legislation to be flexible and comprehensive for a set of tools that is rapidly evolving to encompass human enterprise. At heart, I am a maker of things.
Reflection:
To me, feminist liberation means freeing up the concept of womanhood. There is no way to be, or any thing to do, that makes me a woman. I feel no self-consciousness about my gender, but I am aware of how my womanhood impacts perception of my personhood. Being able to freely move in the world and express my full self without my gender impacting that perception, would be a tremendous boon; and one which is absent for every person today.
Xochitl Barra
I am a young 40+ year old mother of 3, all in their 20's, born and raised in Chicago. I love to step out of my comfort zone and defeat the public idea of being recognized as a minority in multiple spectrums. I am a wife to a husband who allows me to break barriers, challenges me to take leaps and bounds, and supports me in my independence of being my own person.
Reflection:
The pose of one hand on my chest ignites a sense of security; I do not have to prove anything to anyone "take it or leave it". One hand on my abdomen affirms that I have the ability to conceive another human being into this world; I can give birth to a boy or a girl without judgment to their sex, nor future judgement to their abilities as a person.
Yolanda Trejo
I’m from a small town in Minnesota called Hastings. I moved to Chicago almost 14 years ago to do hair. I worked at a salon for almost 10 years before opening my current business called YO:U, a hair studio, art gallery, and creative space. I have a 10-year-old pitbull named Jackson that I completely adore. In my free time I love to travel, do yoga, read, and explore creative outlets.
Reflection:
Women’s liberation, to me, means being secure with who we are, why we are, and how we want to be, while still maintaining the beauty and magic that is women. We hold a light/cosmic energy that separates us from the man. And that’s not to say men are worse, or less than. But I think it’s important to celebrate the differences. We birth the population, we hold the power. We wear the crown, and we raise the world.
Ginny Sykes is an interdisciplinary and collaborative artist. She divides her time working between Chicago, Illinois and Naples, Italy.
Sykes’s project 100 Women: Collaborations Beyond the Veil combines her passions for feminist culture and women’s histories, as told through her photography and performative lens. She aims to heal the chasm within maker, audience, and community by exploring the societal influence that causes the divide. Sykes arranges images, symbols, and myths to create spaces where viewers can connect with her work through their own cultural, emotional, and psychological understandings.
For ten years, Sykes taught at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and worked for many years teaching in community-based public arts and residency programs made possible through partnerships with organizations such as Chicago Public Art Group, After School Matters, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Illinois Arts Council.
Over 40 of Sykes’s works are publicly displayed, including On the Wings of Water at O’Hare International Airport, and Rora at Erie Terrace near the Chicago River, which received an honor award from the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Sykes holds an MA in Women Studies and Gender Studies from Loyola University, Chicago, IL, and a BFA from Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri. She dedicated three years to studying painting and art history at Studio Cecil Graves in Florence, Italy.
Ginny Sykes Biography
EDUCATION
MA, Women Studies and Gender Studies, Loyola University, 2014, Chicago, IL
BFA, Painting, Dance Minor, Washington University,1979, St. Louis, MO
Studio Cecil Graves, European Painting and Art History, 1988-1991, Florence, Italy
RECENT SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2022 Fashion, Fiber, Feminism, The Art Center of Highland Park, IL
Earth Abundance, Oliva Gallery, Chicago, IL
56 Milwaukee, Oliva Gallery, Chicago, IL
2021 100 Women: Collaborations Beyond the Veil, (solo) Legler Regional Library, Chicago, IL
2020 100 Women: Collaborations Beyond the Veil, (solo) Woodson Regional Library, Chicago IL
2019 Video Performance Edition, Palazzo delle Arti Napoli, Naples, Italy
Collaborations Beyond the Veil, (solo) dryphoto arte contemporanea, Prato, Italy
Artperformingfestival ed. IV: Art Self Energy, Forte Marghera, Venice, Italy
2018 Love and Grief, Land Art Festival XIV, Campi Flegrei, Italy
Anima + Animus, (solo) Florence Dance Center, Florence Italy
2017 La Certezza e Il Dubbio, artperformingfestival ed. II, TRAM, Naples, Italy
MART, Artperformingfestival ed. II, Castel dell’Ovo, Naples, Italy
Paint, Splatter, and Roll, (solo) Chicago Art Source, Chicago, IL
Conspiracy Boogie, Circus 3000, Age Slaughterhouse, Karlsruhe, Germany
2016 Pieno e Vuoto, Pinacoteca Comunale d’Arte Contemporanea, Gaeta, Italy
Art Ruhr Innovative Art Fair, Contemporary Art Ruhr, Ruhr, Germany
The Incandescent Ephemeral, (solo) top Schillerpalais, Berlin, Germany
Selected Works, 2013-2016, (solo) Fiorillo Arte, Naples, Italy
The Tangle of Existence, (solo) Castel dell’Ovo, Naples, Italy
Roses for Sofia, Water Tower Arts Festival, Fabrika 126, Sofia, Bulgaria
By Land or By Sea, LACE Contemporary Exhibitions, Los Angeles, CA
HearteartH Festival, Berlin, Germany
2015 Arceo Press: Santitos, Presidents Gallery, Chicago State University, Chicago, IL
Traffic Jam #4, Festival de Arte Contemporáneo, Saltillo Contemporary, Saltillo, Mexico
Omaggio del Cilento a Palma Bucarelli, Palazzo Marchesale, Pisciotta, Italy
Traffic Jam #4, Can Gelabert Casal de Cultura, Binissalem, Mallorca; Centre d’Art I Creació de Ses Voltes, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
2014 Finding Space, (solo) Chicago Art Source Gallery, Chicago, IL
Continuum, (solo) Prospectus Gallery, Chicago, IL
2013 Deliberate Dissonance, (solo) Art on Armitage, Chicago, IL
Supermarket 2013, Kulturhuset, Stockholm, Sweden
2012 Los Santitos, Loyola University Museum of Art, Chicago, IL; Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia, Michoacán, México; Benedictine University, Lisle, IL; Fundación Casa de los Tres Mundos, Granada, Nicaragua
Celebrating Women’s History Month, Chicago Women’s Caucus for Art, Chicago, IL
2011 Call and Response: From Artemisia to Frida, Koehline Museum of Art, Des Plaines, IL
2010 Artists Respond Globally: In My Own Backyard I Can See the World, Zhou B Art Center, Chicago, IL
2009 Prints and Drawings: Works on Paper, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, IN
Here on the Pulse of This New Day, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, IL
12 X 12, APW Gallery, Long Island City, NY
Chicago Feminisms: Past, Present, and Future, Oakton Community College, Des Plaines, IL
Alchemy and Archetype, (solo) Ogilvie and Pertl Gallery, Chicago, IL
2008 Divided Beauty, (solo) Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL
GRANTS / AWARDS / RESIDENCIES
2021 Individual Artists Grant, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Chicago, IL
2019 Artist in Residence, Artegiro Contemporary Art, Conzano, Italy
2016 Artist in Residence, Cape Fear Botanical Gardens, Fayetteville, NC
Individual Artists Program Grant, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Chicago, IL
2015 The Art of Consciousness with Ernesto Pujol, Wonderwell Mountain Refuge, Springfield, NH
Artist Residency, Centre d’Art I Creació de Ses Voltes, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
2013 Community and Global Stewards Fellowship, Loyola University, Chicago, IL
