Latest Exhibit At Frost Art Museum Explores Gender and Politics

Guido Gonzalez and Valenti Govantes/ PantherNOW Staff

As the historical 2020 presidential election remains fresh on everyone’s minds, take a trip to the Frost Art Museum and its impressive exhibition on the history, politics, and women’s role in both.

“House to House: Women, Politics, and Place,” located on the second floor of the museum, examines the growing role women have had in our societies throughout our history.

The exhibition will remain open from Sept. 26 to Feb. 7, celebrating the centennial anniversary of the passing of the 19^th amendment, which gave women the right to vote in the United States.

That’s not to say it’s the only occasion being celebrated. Many events today as well as back then provide the basis for the exhibition’s purpose.

“The upcoming presidential election, the role of women in our society, the me-too movement, and the 100th anniversary of the 19^th amendment were what inspired the exhibit,” said Amy Galpin, museum curator.

Visitors can wide array of artworks ranging from painting, photos, sculptures, and even projections all united by the universal themes of empowerment, progress, and gender.

The exhibit also refuses to shy away from the struggles many marginalized people undergo.

Notable artworks include a projected screening of a docuseries focusing on the lives of black trans women living in Miami, titled “The Tranz Form.”

The series was created by local writer and motivational speaker, Octavia Yearwood. 

Another piece titled “Woven Destiny,” created by textile artist Aurora Molina, consists of a group of 100 geometrical patterns woven together by vibrantly colored yarn. The piece emphasizes the importance of unity among women and to celebrate the 19^th amendment’s passing.

While each artwork on display has been crafted through different means, they nevertheless tell the same story of the long and arduous trek for progress and equality, a struggle that remains relevant today.

“I think art can talk back to historical narratives, tropes, and stereotypes. Artists can intervene and rewrite historical narratives. Many artists create work that responds to what unfolds around them,” said Galpin.  

Other exhibits include “The Inside World,” a collection of contemporary Australian-Aborginal artwork, “Otros Lados,” focusing on Mexican immigrants to the U.S. and “Connectivity,” which features art from different time periods.

 Visitor guidelines set during the coronavirus are still set in place, so museum-goers must remember to wear masks, maintain social distancing, and refrain from touching the artwork.