THE VEIL: Visible & Invisible Spaces - A Traveling Art Exhibition

PRAISE

(Dis)Covering the Veil: Visible & Invisible Spaces
A satellite exhibition of The Veil: Visible & Invisible Spaces
Concordia College, August 28-September 25, 2011

  • It wasn't at all what I expected. I thought it would be completely about oppression and women who wear burkas. I appreciated how relatable all of the artwork was, especially the prayer piece. - Adele Y.
  • I did not have any expectations coming into the gallery and I certainly did not expect to get chills and goose bumps walking through, reading and looking carefully at the work. I don't know how to express in words the subtle, yet powerful, impact the art has had on me. I do identify myself as a feminist and I do know that your exhibit has helped solidify my beliefs and fight for moral justice. Thank you. - Johanna K'll
  • Fascinating! I appreciate the focus on the many meanings of the veil. It is not simply an object of oppression, but also devotion, rebellion, and expression. I am working on a project about the banning of the veil in France, and this has been very enlightening. This is a learning experience like no other. You have reminded me of the power of art to teach. Thank you! - Sam Fouts

The Art Museum at the University of Kentucky
July 5, 2011 to Oct. 5, 2011

  • Ana María Hernando's work is absolutely outstanding! ---Selenia S. Smith
  • What does the veil mean to me? I believe there's a time and place for everything and nothing in this word is good or bad in its entirety. There is a time to remain modest, shielded by the veil's protective cloth, liberated from preying eyes.
  • And there's a time to step out from the veil and into the common world to express their perspective, ideas and beauty. --Thank you, Penina Kroll
  • Want to own the veil cards! (Elizabeth Bisbing's "Veil Cards.")
  • This is a sublime experience! The veil signifies sacredness and for many women, it gives 'em the opportunity to be appreciated for who they are, not for their external qualities. Thanks, this is a thought provoking event. --Ana María del Rodriguez, Faculty Department of Counseling
  • I particularly like the "veil" exhibit. As a Kentuckian, I am seldom exposed to veils except through the media. It is a moving exhibit.
  • A true learning experience.
  • This is the best traveling exhibit I have ever seen! I really like the bikini girl with the two nuns!!! --Lester Gutierrez
  • I enjoyed seeing many dimensions to the concept of veiling. --Cynthia C
  • Amazing! Eye opening in many ways!
  • Awed, upset, understood. --Patricia K.
  • Cool.
  • Powerful. --Chris M
  • Loved this exhibit! Plan to come back when I have more time. --N. Lovett
  • Through the prism of the "veil" we are introduced to two perspectives: looking at/in and looking out/at from within. Fascinating! --L.L. Elman
  • Makes me reflect on how we veil ourselves every day.
  • Veils is an important exhibition for all to see. Many topics for discussion. Recommend for children as well.
  • Very well presented exhibit. Each work commands individual attention. Nice placement of works. Beautifully, simply presented. --Rhoda Wilburn Barker
  • I loved the subject of the exhibit. Amazing to see it in Lexington!!! Thanks much for doing this for all the students on campus.
  • One of the best exhibits ever here.
  • This exhibit created a new perspective. Fascinating.
  • Raised my level of awareness, also contributed to my confusion Thank you!
  • VERY GOOD!
  • The veil show is fascinating and many-layered - excellent.
  • Hopeful, humorous, and at times heartbreaking. Thank you. Peace!
  • I loved the variety of media.
  • I like the broad spectrum of views displayed in this exhibit.
  • Engaging and rich in variety of depictions of the veil and its significances. A needed corrective to common perceptions. --Maureen and Art Urabel
  • I am extremely happy to see a contemporary art exhibit that says something. I will be back tomorrow to see more of the Veil. --Samuel J. Nash
  • I found every piece creative in its own way. Some was even scary to view, but that kept my eyes glued. Very different than any other show I have seen.
  • We Rodriguez's thank you for this wonderful exhibit.
  • I really love that the exhibit consists of all pieces made by ALL women. What a beautiful show. And intriguing ideas that are presented. It is perfect!!
  • Corbin High School - thank you so much - we enjoyed thinking.
  • Especially like the old faces (Judith Selby Lang's Equivalents)
  • In awe of the creativity and touched deeply by the story portrayed. So grateful to all who labored to put this exhibit together.
  • Went in with trepidation, expecting to be brought down, but surprisingly found it fascinating and thought-provoking. I teach ESL to Persian women and look forward to our discussions. --Cassie Eckhardt, Wildwood
  • What lies beyond the veil are the eyes; what lies beyond the eyes is the soul! Enjoyed it.
  • The film-related material was especially interesting.

University Art Gallerie, Kean University
March - August 2010

" I want to let you know how perfect your Veil exhibition has been for Kean University. It is a show that has a remarkable ability to engage students in all sorts of conversations about culture, ethics, religion, culture.... you name it. We have been thrilled to host the show. Thank you for sharing it with our community.--Neil Tetkowski, curator University Art Galleries

Indiana University East/Richmond Indiana
March 30-April 30, 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUTfWRDtQl4&feature=channel_page

  • "The Veil has had a marvelous run at IU East! Comments come from random gallery visitors as well as participants in the Midwest Victorian Studies Association (MVSA) Conference and the all-Indiana University Women's & Gender Studies Undergraduate Conference both of which took place here in April The comments were overwhelmingly positive! We will miss having it here. " - Laverne Nishihara, Associate Professor of English
  • Surprising look at women and how society has created a certain mystic and restrictive clothing.
  • Beyond words. Such a wonderful exhibition.
  • Thank you for this exhibit. It touched my heart.
  • What a wonderful exhibit. I am glad that I attended this event. - IPFW
  • This exhibit is a great part of a very well organized event. Good job!
  • Very interesting and thought provoking. Touching and full of grace, yet scary.
  • Good exhibit beautifully presented-excellent curation. Absolutely breathtaking! - Gwenda Blevins
  • VERY INTRIGUING SHOW! INTRIGUE AND REVELATION. The quality of the craftsmanship is awe inspiring apart from whatever interpretation one may draw from the pieces in this extraordinary exhibit.
  • Fascinating exhibit. This raised more questions than provided answers and that is the sign of "art" to me.
  • Reminded me of working with wallpaper books & making dresses for paper dolls (Elizabeth Bresling's Veil Cards) -when I was young. Very creative! I enjoyed the entire show!!
  • Approaching the veil with humor, horror, respect and curiosity. The images and objects will be with me long after-the sign of an effective installation and first-rate curation.
  • I love the cohesion and clash of western and eastern ideals, especially in the super woman photos (Desiree Navab's Super East-West Woman). All the art work is beautifully done and makes a poignant statement about the way women are veiled and unveiled. I loved the explanation of the collection mentioning hair (Kerry Vander Meer's X) as a kind of veil.
  • I found the exploration of the veil as icon/symbol/aesthetic & political object quite interesting & provocative.
  • A wonderful exhibition-what a treat and surprise to see it. E. Hale-University of New England/Australia
  • Excellent range, both in terms of thematic reach & different media.
  • Thank you for my heighten [sic] awareness. Superb!

University Art Gallery, California State University-Dominguez Hills
February 3-March 3, 2010

  • The Veil was an absolute hit! So many classes used the exhibit for assignments it was incredible, Art 100, Theater (because it is a form of masking), English descriptive writing etc.? Kathy Zimmerer, curator University Art Galleries
  • I went to the veil exhibit on Thursday with my two office staff and we absolutely loved it. What a triumph! I have visions of many, many of the pieces (some funny, some gorgeous, many haunting, all thought-provoking) still alive in my mind and I will not forget any of them soon. I reflect on them with great relish. A wonderful, rich experience. -- Helen Oesterheld, English Department.

Alexey von Schlippe Gallery of Art/University of Connecticut
January 23-February 22, 2009

  • "On my way back to Afghanistan tomorrow. Packing my veils. Good show!" - Cynthia Warren
  • "Truly different outlook." - Bob Hauschild, New London, CT
  • "Impressive."
  • "I feel it truly expressive feelings."
  • "I always assumed that in very dry, sandy, dusty, arid regions of the earth, women and men (turbans) covered their hair and sometimes their faces to delay the inevitable need to wash these features with what could be very scarce water. - only in air conditioned, water wasting cultures would these considerations be overlooked and simple political oppression be the sole interpretation."
  • "Are there such things as nudist colonies in Eastern or Asian cultures?" - Dan Truth
  • "Hope a catalogue will be published showing this fine exhibit." - Denise Shepner, Groton, CT
  • "Unexpected! Totally enraptured! Bravo!" - Judith Louffer
  • "Very provocative - and touching! Thank you for opening my mind/heart/spirit!" - Suzanne Uebe
  • "So much to consider - I want the book!" - Betsy Theve
  • "Wonderful work - thought provoking and exquisite. Thank you, Christine [Breslin, Beyond the Veil]" -Anita and Steve Balkun
  • "Whoa! Potent! Images speak more than words. They scream life!" - Barbara Torizky

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Union Gallery
November 13-December 12, 2008

  • "…836 patrons…" --Shannon Dosemagen, Gallery Manager
  • "Awesome. Really good." --Stu and Susan Leopold
  • "Holy…" -- Patrice Dougherty
  • "Too amazing for words. Beautiful and exciting."
  • "Love the 'baby' thing (Elizabeth Bisbing's Veil Cards)." --Ellie Moberg
  • "I covet Wingcloth (Rebecca DiDomenico)." --Caroline Franklin
  • "Thought-provoking." --Judy Grochowski
  • "Wonderful exhibit and info series - one of my favorite things of 2008." --Cindy Pawelski
  • "Great collection of opinions and experiences!" --Brad Sigmund
  • "Great pieces. I especially liked the interactive games (Juliet Davis's Altar-ations and Deb King's dreamSweeper) as well as Hollywood Harems (Tania Kamal-Eldin)." --Veronica Mosley
  • "Clever/bold/expressive." --Jake Myer
  • "Can teach us a lot about the space we exist in." --Audrey Connor
  • "Interesting. It's like the artists have opened up a book and let us read. Very interesting. I now see the veil as something very powerful."
  • "Time stopped as I looked into the veil." --Troy Edward Potter, Jr.
  • "Rubber window (Tsehai Johnson's Window) my favorite." --Scott Zarlang
  • "Especially enjoyed the Beyond the Veil movie (Christine Breslin). Did a good job to explain the hijab." --Katie Larson
  • "Complex and informative and thoughtful." --Judith Miller
  • "Opens the mind." --Melanie Smith
  • "Very well put together gallery! I could spend hours here. I learned so much about how other women feel about their veils and not just with negative connotation." --Dawn Borchardt
  • "Phenomenal exhibit!" --Kathleen Michel

University of Arkansas-Fayetteville Union Gallery
September 10-October 24, 2008

  • "'…1,225 visitors, a record!'" Union Gallery director Shannon Dillard-Mitchell
  • "For me the veil means privacy. I have limited knowledge of veil. My interpretation is made from Western media broadcasts." - J.L. Newman
  • "An absolutely beautiful exhibit. Your conveyed messages were raw but at the same time beautiful. I feel so much more knowledgeable, which is a wonderful feeling. Thanks for having such a wonderful show. I love your butterfly wing piece [Wingcloth, by Rebecca DiDomenico]!
  • "Cultures - beliefs - choices - force …." - S.E.V. Olathe, KS
  • "The veil is a personal choice but is inevitably tied to choices provided by religion and politics. The choice to wear one may not be so much a "choice" as a symbol of respect, religion, & modesty. The pregnant woman with her face in veil makes me weep [Witness, by Sama Alshaibi], but the cards consisting of tiny pieces of paper [Veil Cards, by Elizabeth Bisbing] fill me with awe. Thank you." - Leslie
  • "The veil is meaningless. The soul is all. Awesome lecture! Wonderful!" -- Diana Hausery.

The Dairy Center for the Arts
May 16-June 20, 2008

  • "Visual cloaking of something."
  • "Today a veil is an object that both protects and exposes the wearer."
  • "I agree (I think - surmise - that the veil will become fashionable. But what would this mean? Acceptance, or just initiation, or both?)"
  • "Mystery, enchantment, seduction, play, artistry."
  • "Faith, hiding, evil."
  • "Devotion, love, surrender, trust."
  • "Hair, madonna, beauty, mystery."
  • "Identity, confusion, intrigue."
  • "For some Hindus, one of the activities of God is concealment. So God "wears a veil." The veil protects Hindus from unendurable delight."
  • "Loss of power."
  • "Privacy, mystery, submission, protection, non-descript…"
  • "Watchful. Wary."
  • "Part of the river… congratulations, ladies. A wonderful show. Thank you."
  • "A constant interpretation of woman's place continues with this exhibit. Thank you."
  • "An interesting exhibit that is thought-provoking."
  • "Love it!"
  • "Intelligent and illuminating. Thank you." -- Dorothy Rupert (former Colorado congresswoman and senator)
  • "Take time to look at what is more than surface and when less of our veils will matter so much. What is seen and unseen has more to do with why we look to begin with. Thank you for a lovely and intelligent exhibition." - Danielle Schuchner Karofsky
  • "I really enjoyed the exhibit. It confirms my choice of title for a book I have written: 'Voices Beyond the Veil.' Thanks." - Phil
  • "Thanks for the sights and insights." - Jerry Downs
  • "So inspiring!" - Barbara Wilder
  • "I love the picture of Girls Will be Girls. Love it!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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