CHICAGO––Woman Made Gallery (WMG) is proud to present Invisibility, a virtual group exhibition with work by 37 artists. Juried by Anne-Marie Kovac, this exhibition seeks to explore the experience of invisibility, a condition often imposed by societal norms and at times, embraced as a form of self-preservation. This show aims to explore the subject of invisibility as a state of being and as a social condition that affects various groups and individuals who are systematically overlooked – the homeless, migrants, the disabled, the elderly, certain racial and worker groups. This societal oversight acts as a dual-edged sword: for some, it is a disempowering force, stripping individuals of their own sense of relevance and dignity. For others, it becomes a strategic cloak of safety, a necessary guise under which to navigate a world that objectifies or threatens their existence. This exhibit encouraged submissions that explore the multiple dimensions of social invisibility whether they delve into the emotional or practical consequences of the condition or reveal expressions about existing unseen, overlooked or unacknowledged in society today.
Juror’s Statement: “I chose the topic of invisibility because of my own experience of feeling invisible, a bittersweet effect of aging shared by so many women. In my youth, I often wished to become invisible to avoid harassment. Now, past my prime, without any choice in the matter, I’ve been discounted by much of society. It’s ironic but so real. Fully aware that mine is a benign representation of invisibility, I wanted to learn – through the vocabulary of art – how others suffer, by circumstances or necessity, through the many facets of invisibility. The entries did not disappoint. When you look at each selection, also listen… you can almost hear the stories of how the invisible manifests or is experienced.” -Anne-Marie Kovacs
Exhibiting Artists: Anne Bernard-Pattis, Marcie Brozyna, Alexandra Buxbaum, San Chen, Doria Choi, Danaid Collaboration (DanaidX) by Angela Yarian and Hope Brooks, Vicki Engonopoulos, LucyJulia Hale, Susan Keats, Megan Klco Kellner, Shannon Knowlton, Tanya Kornienko Art, Jamie Kost, Susan Leith, Howe fun Lye-Starks, Malìa, Natalie McDonald, Angela McElwain, Karen Mosbacher, Anne Nordhaus-Bike, Wendy Peer, Marianetta Porter, Nina Rastgar, Wendy E. Saam, Beth Sanders, Kathleen M. Sanker, Amanda Sarasien, S B, Maelisa Singer, Laura Stevenson, Mami Takahashi, Kathy Walter, Julie Waltz-Stalker, Meryn Weaver, Isabel Winson-Sagan, Jeanette Woods, Han Yang
About the Juror: Anne-Marie Kovacs brings her business acumen and passion for art and design to her role as juror for WMG’s “Invisibility: Existing on the Periphery” exhibition. With a professional background in business strategy and strategic foresight, Anne-Marie helps emerging companies in a variety of consumer-facing industries identify new opportunities and successfully launch their projects. She is an active board member of Woman Made Gallery, where she supports and advocates for women in the arts and the gallery’s mission to foster inclusivity and diversity within the creative community.
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; the Arts Midwest GIG Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. the Puffin Foundation, a major anonymous donor; and the generosity of its members and contributors.
