Art Show Highlights Pivotal Moments For Designing Women

When Abby Goldstein, associate professor of visual arts, noticed that her student Lindsay Reichart, FCRH ’11, possessed a passionate interest in modern art history, feminism and design, Goldstein got an idea.

“I suggested that Lindsay curate an exhibition as a senior thesis project,” said Goldstein, who had long noticed a lack of recognition for great women designers.

Over some months, Reichart started out with 75 names and narrowed the field from there, doing research and in-person interviews.

The result, Benchmarks: Seven Women in Design: New York, is now on display in the Lowenstein Center Gallery through Aug. 15. Co-curated by Reichart and Goldstein, the show focuses on a group of prominent New York-based women designers born before 1960 whose work ranges from print to collage to audio-visual installation: Gail Anderson, Eileen Boxer, Elaine Lustig Cohen, Carin Goldberg, Louise Fili, Paula Scher and Lucille Tenazas.

Although much of the artists’ work has been underrecognized, said Goldstein, all the artists have been firmly established and active in New York’s design scene for decades.

“We asked each of them to choose a work that holds special meaning for them, or was a turning point in their approach to their practice,” said Goldstein. “We hope to show exemplary work that also [is] personal.”

Among the works featured are Gail Anderson’s photo collages for Rolling Stone magazine of Axl Rose (2000) and Chris Rock (1997, pictured above left); Eileen Boxer’s conceptual announcement for the Ubu Gallery’s Hans Bellmer show (1995, pictured right); and Paula Scher’s vibrant silkscreen for the Public Theatre’s presentation of “Dancing On Her Knees” (1996, pictured left).

Reichart, who earned a bachelor of arts in art history and music, said she hopes to extend the project beyond New York sometime in the future.

The exhibit is sponsored by the department of theatre and visual arts. For more about the exhibit, visit the department blog, where you can find a link to an interview with the curators in imprint e-magazine for designers.

—Janet Sassi