1,335 Miles Apart

Art is such an excellent medium in which to communicate ideas, especially ones that require critical analysis and unfiltered thinking. The 2016 Women and Creativity Student Exhibition allowed students of DRC to use their artistic talents to express their opinions on many of the topics we discussed in K&P this semester like gender, sexuality, and identity. I want to briefly examine the image used for the flyer as I feel it is significant. The image encompasses an array of elements, starting with neon colors in the background contrasted with a shadowy dark girl which I interpret as conferring the message that we all experience life on a continuum with different experiences determining exactly where we fall. Some days we may feel as if our lives mirror a swirl of neon colors and others we may feel like we are being enclosed by darkness. Additionally, there is a separation of how we are all truly feeling and how we portray ourselves to everyone else. If there was one important element to reflect on for the semester, I would say it has to be the notion that women need to rely on other women. We have to ban together as a group of people who no longer think the status quo is acceptable and are willing to challenge the norms set by society. To reflect back on the concept that sometimes we hide behind illusions of happiness, it is imperative that we allow the women in our lives (friends, family, peers, and acquaintances) to reflect their true selves free from judgement and condemnation. It is not until we feel safe among one another that we can really push for change. The artists in this exhibition are taking a huge step towards relaying this message to society through their work.