Meet the winners of Binghamton’s Annual Women’s Day Art Exhibition!
In honor of International Women’s Day each year, Binghamton University’s Kaschak Institute for Social Justice for Women and Girls, in collaboration with the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and SUNY Broome, hosts an annual art exhibition for students, faculty and staff. This year’s exhibition was centered on “Women’s Rights Through the Decades,” and featured all modes of art forms. The winning artists received a $250 prize for their work and creativity, honoring the strength and perseverance of women. See the winners of Kaschak Institute’s annual International Women’s Day Exhibition below:
Writing: poetry and prose
Emily Rosman (Photo features Sophia Ponce accepting on behalf of Rosman)
Graduate student Emily Rosman won the writing: poetry and prose category for her piece, “After: June 2022.” Rosman chose to structure her piece as a poem that reflects the state of reproductive rights following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022. Roseman describes the piece as following “two women, one who chooses to have a child and another who chooses sterilization, intending to demonstrate that either path leads to happiness and is, ultimately, a woman’s individual choice.” You can read the full poem here!
Cinema: video, animation and film
Autumn Jacobs
Junior Autumn Jacobs won the cinema: video, animation and film category for a second year in a row for her work, “Turn the tables with our unity.” Her piece uses the song “Pretend That We’re Dead” with Lizzie Borden’s 1983 film Born in Flames to combine two deeply feminist works. Jacobs describes her piece by saying: “Born in Flames and ‘Pretend That We’re Dead’ traverse a period marked by institutional backlash to the gains of second wave feminists.” Her piece aimed to be a reminder of what past feminist artwork can mean today. You can watch her video here!
Visual arts: photography, painting, drawing, printmaking, collage and sculpture
Olga Bobak
Junior Olga Bobak won the visual arts: photography, painting, drawing, printmaking, collage and sculpture category for her drawing, “The Gaze.” The piece aims to portray the woman as a powerful figure. Bobak explains, “The composition places her at the center, emphasizing the strong expression on her face. This subverts the typical portrait of a woman, which focuses on softness and passivity, rather than placing the woman in a position of authority.”
Graphic Design
Merrigan Butcher
Sophomore Merrigan Butcher won the graphic design category with her historical representation of the progression of women’s rights in the United States titled “Echoes of Her Struggle.” Her piece uses a portrait of a woman as the central motif to visually trace various movements and historical events over the years. When describing the piece, Bobak said, “This figure serves as an embodiment of the modern American woman, demonstrating fundamental rights such as suffrage, the right to equal pay, and the right to employment, all of which are the hard-won legacies of preceding generations of activists.”
Performing Arts: dance, music and theatre
Dior Wright
Senior Dior Wright won the performing arts: dance, music and theatre category with her dance to honor Ruby Bridges titled “Transitions.” Wright starts her dance with “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor and then transitions into a poem she wrote and voiced over to honor the strength of African American women who stood at the intersection of race and gender to fight inequality and for justice. Wright describes the piece as bridging “past and present, reminding us that the steps taken decades ago continue to guide the path forward for future generations of women.” You can watch the full dance here!
People’s Choice Award
Casey Woluewich
Junior Casey Woluewich won the People’s Choice Award for her painting, “Joan of Arc.” The painting falls under the visual arts: photography, painting, drawing, printmaking, collage and sculpture category and is a historical remix of “Joan of Arc,” originally painted by Sir John Everett Millais. Woluewich’s version reflects women’s rights, as Joan of Arc challenged the strict rules imposed on women during her time. When describing her piece, Woluewich said, “Joan of Arc proves that women have always been capable of being strong, brave, and resilient. She is a symbol of courage, female strength, and resistance which many women in current day still idolize for her movement.”
Emily Ciarlo is a graduate student working towards her masters in English. She is interested in pursuing a career in journalism, marketing or social media content creation. In her free time, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and spending time with her friends and family.
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