Exhibitions

EMBODYING CULTURE

Reece Museum (ETSU) / 363 Stout Drive, Johnson City, TN January 15 - July 4th

Beka Addison-Browder
Elise Askonas
Morgan Bakaletz
Savannah Bennett
Martha Blaser
Danielle Byington
Nancy Jane Earnest
Lilith Erbach
Morgan Gilbert
Leah Gossett
Lyn Govette
Jennifer Hart
Barbara Hendren
Mindy Herrin-Lewis
Allison Johnson
Kelle Jolly
Sylvia Lane
LaKesha Lee
Jane MacMorran
Scott MacMorran
Anna Mullins
Katie Murphy
Jen Otey
Marie Porterfield
Amanda Renfrow
Blake San
Molly Sawyer
Lacy Snapp
Laura Ann Schroeder
Christi Teasley
Lauren Whipple
Nija Woods

Embodiment is an act of taking in or becoming so as to make visible otherwise intangible ideas. Literally, embodiment is the giving of form or expression to the abstract by putting it “in the body.” In cultural embodiment, elements of culture may be inscribed on or within a body as a mark of identification or to designate individuals as culture bearers. While gender is not exclusive in cultural embodiment, women are often the most recognized culture bearers in marked and invisible ways. This exhibition explores the ways in which women embody Appalachian culture and traditions of the past and present as they shape the future.

"As women artists expressing solidarity across differences, we must forge ahead, creating spaces where our work can be seen and evaluated according to standards that reflect our sense of artistic merit. As we strive to enter the mainstream art world, we must feel empowered to vigilantly guard the representation of the woman artist so that it is never again devalued. Fundamentally, we must create the space for feminist intervention without surrendering our primary concern, which is a devotion to making art, a devotion intense and rewarding enough that it is the path leading to our freedom and fulfillment."

-bell hooks, "Art on My Mind" (1995)

"Embodying Culture" combines three venues, an art gallery, a classroom, and a stage, to provide a space to explore visualizations of feminine perspectives in Appalachia through artistic expression. A stage has been built to serve as a platform for performances and academic lectures that will further delve into themes of identity, activism, ancestry, tradition-bearing, and the diverse experiences of Appalachian women. All of these venues converge to create the social happening that is "Embodying Culture."