“Jane Anger” opens at Amos Eno Gallery

“Jane Anger” will open at Amos Eno Gallery on Friday, February 1st with a reception from 7:00-9:00pm.

Amos Eno Gallery is pleased to present Jane Anger, an exhibition of new works by Rosemary Meza-DesPlas. Jane Anger features hand-sewn human hair drawings, watercolors and onsite installations. Rosemary Meza-DesPlas’ figurative artworks emphasize line and movement. The title refers to a 16th century pamphlet published in England titled Jane Anger, Her Protection for Women. An opening reception will be held on Friday, February 1 from 7-9 PM at the gallery’s location at 56 Bogart Street in Brooklyn, NY.

Meza-DesPlas, also a spoken word performer, will present her piece titled Intervals of Anger at the opening reception. She will perform a poem every fifteen minutes in conjunction with an artwork in the exhibition.

Meza-DesPlas explores the concept of anger as a tool for change by juxtaposing found imagery from social media, art history and mass media. She is interested in how the social movements, Women’s Marches and #MeToo, harnessed anger in order to forefront an array of gender-based burdens.

This exhibition includes Meza-DesPlas’ most recent drawings which incorporate her gray hair. She has been sewing with her own hair since 2000. Her hair is hand-sewn into a variety of grounds with small embroidery needles. Meza-DesPlas’ decision to collect, sort and utilize hair as a vehicle for art-making is informed by socio-cultural symbolism, feminism and body issues, and religious symbolism. Hair embodies a dichotomy: it can be sexy and engaging to people, on the other hand, it can be repulsive – like a hair in your soup or a hair on your hotel pillow. There are religious connotations to hair which coincide with symbolism reflecting strength, sensuality and reverence; such as Delila cutting off Samson’s hair and Mary Magdalen washing the feet of Jesus with her hair.

Rosemary Meza-DesPlas received a MFA in Painting from Maryland Institute, College of Art (Hoffberger School of Painting) and a BFA from The University of North Texas. An article on her hand-sewn human hair drawings was featured in the Huffington Post Arts & Culture section in 2015. Ms. Meza-DesPlas parallels the themes in her artwork with the written word and spoken word performances. In 2018, she presented the academic paper “Reclaiming the Tool of Anger: Year of the Angry Women” at the 9th International Conference of the Image in Hong Kong SAR. Ms. Meza-DesPlas’ recent spoken word performances were at the Feminist Art Conference, Ontario College of Art & Design, Toronto, Canada; Center for Contemporary Arts, Santa Fe, NM; ARC Gallery in Chicago, IL and the Durango Arts Center in Durango, CO. Ms. Meza-DesPlas currently lives and works in Farmington, New Mexico.

black-grey-hair-drawingslow-burnrosemary-meza-desplas-gridrosemary-meza-desplas-watercolor

 

Durango Diaries – Art Panel on 5/23

Here is the video of the Durango Diaries panel focusing on artists. I specifically spoke about my ‘hair drawings’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYeuUKIpLEU

 

nevertheless: She Persisted @ Durango Arts Center

Crop Wall DrawingIMG_4790IMG_4798IMG_4829IMG_4811IMG_5744IMG_4941IMG_4809IMG_5756IMG_5753IMG_5746

“No country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and  deprives itself of the contributions of half of its citizens” First Lady Michelle  Obama.

The title of this exhibition “nevertheless: She Persisted” refers to a phrase by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. In defense of silencing Senator Elizabeth Warren, McConnell said, ““Sen. Warren was giving a lengthy speech. She had appeared to violate the rule. She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.” Subsequently, the phrase was embraced on social media and became a battle cry for women across the U.S. in 2017. Women did not want to be told — to sit down and stop talking.

The works in this exhibition are grouped into categories to reflect gender-based burdens. These are hardships disproportionately shouldered by women in society. These gender-based burdens include gender-based violence, political inequality and gender-based-poverty. This weight hauled by women can have a palpable physical existence or take on a psychological shape of enormous proportions. Many women live day-to-day hindered by gender-based burdens; yet, they continue to persist.

The goal of “nevertheless: She Persisted” is to raise awareness of gender-based burdens. By fore-fronting gender-based burdens, inequities surrounding violence, poverty and politics and their impact on women can continue to be highlighted and discussed. Ongoing visibility of these issues is a necessity in order for change to occur – whether it manifests in small steps or larger advancements.

Venice – The Image Conference

I attended the 8th Annual International Conference on The Image in Venice, Italy from October 31-November 1, 2017. I presented a paper titled “Heaviness, Hardship, Heft: Gender-based Burdens in Images”. I also participated in the Pop-up Exhibition at Venice International University. Here are some images from my experience in Venice at the conference.

My artwork at the Pop-up Exhibition at Venice International University

ES1, Hand-sewn Human Hair, thread and watercolor accents on Canvas

Beginning of my talk “Heaviness, Hardship, Heft: Gender-based Burdens in Images”
Discussion on Gender-based violence
Discussion on Gender-based violence.
Slide from my talk “Heaviness, Hardship, Heft: Gender-based Burdens in Images”.

New Artwork: Gender-based Burdens

8meza-desplas_rosemary_you-couldnt-cry-if-you-wanted-to.jpgThis artwork reflects symbolic gender-based burdens. Weight hauled by women can have a palpable physical existence or take on a psychological shape of enormous proportions.

Upcoming Exhibitions

My artwork can be found in the following exhibits:
She Inspires
45 Lispenard St., Unit 1W NYC, NY
Curated by Indira Cesarine
On view: MAY 2 – 26, 2017

Contemporary Art Survey
Lincoln Center, Fort Collins, CO
May 9 – June 24th, 2017

Gritty in Pink
Curated by Lisa Rockford and Megan Castellon
Bailey Contemporary Arts
41 NE 1st St, Pompano Beach, FL
June 6 – July 14, 2017
Reception: June 10, 6-10pm

Nasty Woman
University of Arkansas @ Little Rock
June – August 2017cropped-image3.jpg_DSC6935Installation 1Detail of Installation