Latin American Women Crafting Change
Free and Open to the Public
Due to the COVID-19 situation the gallery's in-person public receptions and programs have been postponed until further notice.
From August 19 through October 1, the Northcutt Steele Gallery at MSU Billings will display a group of cuadros (embroidered and appliqued fabric story pictures) created by women artists living in Pamplona Alta, a shantytown located on the outskirts of Lima, Peru. The exhibition offers a sampling of cuadros created from 1991 to the present, including commissioned works collected by Dr. Rebecca Berru Davis, who has conducted fieldwork in Pamplona Alta since 2006. The cuadros depict the responses of the women of Pamplona Alta to the sense of their personal identities and experiences of their daily lives; to their hopes, dreams and ambitions; and to their sense of place within their local communities and the broader world. The exhibit explores the women’s experiences as wives, mothers, sisters, and grandmothers working in two artist cooperatives, Compacto Humano and Manos Ancashinas.
Latin American Women Crafting Change is organized into three themes. "Works of Women: Resistance to Injustice and Violence," explores depictions of the resilience of women and their active participation in political and social situations affecting Pamplona Alta. "Longing for a Better World," includes cuadros depicting scenes of nature and home, juxtaposing the women's dreams for the future with the realities of the present. The final section, "Sustaining Traditions and Rituals of a Spiritual Life," features cuadros demonstrating the importance of spiritual rituals and traditions as enduring factors in the women's lives.
Indigenous women working at the cooperative, Manos Anaschinas.
The women’s experiences as artists, workers are recorded in the cuadros with bright colors and detailed stitching, creating tiny replicas of what is and what could be. The exhibition explores the creativity and strength of the women of Pamplona Alta in the face of hardships, while offering an opportunity to reflect upon the role of art, family, and faith in their lives. Their personal stories stitched in cloth are testimony to their dedication to their families, activism in their communities, and commitment to beauty and the power of creativity that persists even in the most challenging conditions.
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The Northcutt Steele Gallery is located on the 1st Floor of the Liberal Arts Building and is open Monday-Friday from 8am to 4pm (MST), and by appointment. The gallery will be following social distancing guidelines during the exhibition and directions for visitors will be posted. Masking is currently required on campus. The gallery is supported in part by student fees governed by the Associated Students of MSUB (ASMSUB).
For media inquiries contact Dr. Leanne Gilbertson, director of Northcutt Steele Gallery, leanne.gilbertson@msubillings.edu; (406) 657-2903.
Cuadros ranging in price between $25 to $350 will be available for purchase with all proceeds going to the women artists. For purchase of cuadros, contact Rebecca Berru Davis, rdavis@ses.gtu.edu, (406) 794-2984.
