CHICAGO — Woman Made Gallery (WMG) is pleased to present its “23rd International Open,” juried by Juana Williams who included the work in a variety of media by 35 female artists from the US, Argentina, Bolivia, England, France, India, Iran, Nigeria and Norway. 
In her statement, Juana Williams writes: “With an extensive knowledge of the inadequate amount of support and opportunities women artists have received throughout history, it was refreshing to experience the opportunity of working with Woman Made Gallery. To jury an exhibition sharing the voices of women artists within a women-run gallery has been a wonderful experience; knowing that I was tangibly contributing to the overall support of artists who identify as women.
The hundreds of submissions for the 23rd International supported my belief that there are a plethora of women artists across the globe producing masterfully created artwork, within every medium. It was my hope to portray this variety of media women artists have mastered. I also hoped to use the platform I’d been given to not only increase visibility, but to uplift and celebrate the unique voices of women as displayed through visual art.” -Juana Williams
Exhibiting Artists: Anne Adams, Robin Adsit, Lisa Alberts, Fabiane Aleixo, Jacqueline Bermudez, Boisali Biswas, Caitlyn Brandt, Valentina Campos, Adrianna Clark, Cyrah Dardas Amina Daugherty, Nephe De’Viana-Horne, Celia Greiner, Nicola Hockley, Carol Irving, Mina Katebi, Margaret Laurena Kemp + Julie Wyman, Christy Lo Lok Lam, D. Lammie-Hanson, Dawn Liddicoatt, Michelle McDowell Smith, Christyn Overstake, Felicia Grant Preston, Célia Rakotondrainy, Qiaira Riley, Annie Rochelle, Shinoid, Ritu Sinha, Dolores Slowinski, Cris LaNiese Smith, Dorothy Straughter, Zoya Taylor, Amy Usdin, Erin Wheary, April Wright.
Award Recipients:
1st Place: “Lost & Found” by Amina Daugherty
2nd Place: “Unpeeling” by Christy Lo Lok Lam
3rd Place: “Distant Reflections” by Boisali Biswas
Juror: Juana Williams is an independent contemporary art curator from Detroit, Michigan. Her curatorial practice predominantly focuses on deconstructing complex, contemporary cultural issues and attempts to provide a dialogue within which these issues can be discussed. As an emerging African American curator and scholar, she is also particularly sensitive to and interested in issues of diversity.
Williams previously served as the Exhibitions Curator at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts (UICA) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She has curated exhibitions at multiple galleries and museums featuring a roster of artists at various stages of their careers including Wangechi Mutu, Firelei Báez, Devan Shimoyama, Mavis Pusey, and Elizabeth Catlett, to name a few. She has recently guest-curated at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art and the Grand Rapids Art Museum.
Williams holds a BA in Art and an MA in Art History, both from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Prior to joining UICA, Williams held multiple positions at various art institutions including the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, the Wayne State University Art Department Gallery, the Elaine L. Jacob Gallery, and the Detroit Institute of Arts. https://www.curatorjuana.com/
(Top image: artwork by Amina Daugherty. Right image: Juana Williams)
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Woman Made Gallery
2150 S. Canalport Ave., 4th floor | Chicago, IL 60608
www.womanmade.org
Woman Made Gallery is supported in part by grants from The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events; The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; The Illinois Arts Council Agency; a major anonymous donor; and the generosity of its members and contributors.
