What do food products and old lingerie have to do with feminism? You can find out at the “”Sexed”” art exhibit at the UA Museum of Art next week.
Sylvia Sewell and Edie Daldrup, both studio art seniors, have created pieces that reflect attitudes toward female identity and sexuality. Each artist has a different approach to her work. Sewell’s art is in mural-sized color photos that focus on women being sexually exploited and “”consumable.””
“”My pieces are a satire of that idea. I cover myself in food, which is literally consumable,”” Sewell said.
Daldrup uses embroidery and discarded bras, which are covered in text and quotes by all sorts of women, from porn stars to feminist thinkers, she said. One piece, which Daldrup said was partially the inspiration for the title of the exhibit, has a quote by Margaret Sanger, a famous feminist and early advocate of birth control: “”Never be ashamed of passion. If you are strongly sexed, than you are richly endowed.””
Both Sewell and Daldrup started as artists about five years ago. Sewell started taking photos in high school, while Daldrup started painting around the same time, but did not do so in high school, because she went to a Catholic school, she said.
Sewell currently has her work displayed in the Bachelor of Fine Arts exhibit at the Student Union Memorial Center Union Gallery. Both artists have had their work displayed in locations throughout Tucson. Daldrup said her work in other exhibits is different from “”Sexed”” but has some of the same underlying themes.
“”Most of the paintings have the same undertones about confrontation and sexuality,”” she said.
Daldrup is happy to have the freedom that a university gallery offers. “”I feel like having this show is a good opportunity because this gallery lets you do pretty much whatever you want,”” she said. “”We want to encourage women to embrace their own sexuality, whether it’s by shaving your legs or weighing 100 pounds, whatever it is,”” she says.
“”Sexed”” will be displayed at the Lionel Rombach Gallery at the UA Museum of Art from March 26 to April 6. Admission is free.
