National Endowment for the Arts supports 'Women of Metal' exhibit

June 19, 2008

An exhibition celebrating the innovative works and groundbreaking accomplishments of women metalsmiths will open at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater this fall thanks in part to a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

The “Women of Metal” exhibition will represent and celebrate the work of the female artists featured, as well as provide a stage where the artists’ work may be examined and the professional, historical and cultural influences involved may be evaluated. Special attention will be given to the roles of education and mentorship in the professional development of the artists.

The NEA grant was awarded in the category of “Access to Artistic Excellence” in the field/discipline of visual arts. It was one of 1,014 awarded to nonprofit national, regional, state and local organizations across the country. “It is very reassuring to know that the NEA supports this important project,” Teresa Faris, art professor and one of the curators of the exhibit, said. “We are looking forward to seeing the work of all these amazing women in one gallery.”

“Women of Metal” will include the presentation of artwork by first- and second-generation women metalsmiths with a professional and educational relationship to Wisconsin. The exhibit will open Sept. 9 and run through Oct. 18. The organizers have a created a weeklong public forum to celebrate the opening of the exhibit consisting of an illustrated lecture, a visiting artist panel presentation and a two-day studio workshop.

Along with the exhibition, two significant humanities documents will be developed. There will be a comprehensive catalogue with a corresponding scholarly essay and an oral history archive of the artist participants. The essay, which will introduce and analyze the concepts central to the exhibition, will be written by prominent Wisconsin art historian Melanie Herzog. The oral history archive is comprised of 60-90 minute interviews with each participating artist using video and text processes.

“The goals of the ‘Women of Metal’ exhibition are to represent and celebrate the art work of past and present women metalsmiths, to inspire and educate the artists of the future, and to increase public awareness of the contributions of these artists to the cultural history of Wisconsin” Susan Messer, art professor and the other curator of the exhibit, said.

Along with the NEA grant, the project has received an Art Jewelry Forum Grant, which will be used to support the participation of Eleanor Moty, a metalsmith specializing in contemporary art jewelry. The project also has been awarded a gift from the Kohler Foundation, a private foundation primarily interested in supporting education, arts, and preservation initiatives in Wisconsin and an award from the Bell Group/Rio Grande.

Their project is already garnering praise. “Sue Messer and Teresa Faris have done outstanding work to attract significant support to the campus to make this extraordinary exhibition possible,” Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor John Heyer said. “The Women of Metal show will be a highlight in the arts calendar for this region next fall."

The exhibition is also shining attention on the university. “The Women of Metal exhibition is the culmination of more than a year's work by professors Sue Messer and Teresa Faris and a team of hardworking students,” Dean of the College of Arts and Communication Richard Haven said. “While the exhibition focuses on some of the outstanding women metal artists in the nation, the project also demonstrates the multifaceted ways students learn at UW-Whitewater and especially in our nationally accredited art department.”