THE DELICATE THINGS THAT GIRLS DO | signs and symbols

Ann Weathersby, Pretty girls, yes, very, all sugar and spice, 2023, Kilnformed glass, shadow box, aluminum shelf and custom hardware,29 x 19 x 3.25 inches (73.66 x 48.26 x 8.26 cm) framed; titled after Doris Lessing, The Grandmothers. © Ann Weathersby; Courtesy of the artist and signs and symbols, New York.

Written by Simran Tuteja

Eleven female artists across many generations, nations and mediums of art were sent the same  pastel pink poster called The Delicate Things That Girls Do, a part of Jenny Holzer’s incisive series Inflammatory Essays (1979 - 1982) and they responded in the most artistic and eclectic ways. Curated by Bridget Casey and Mitra Khorasheh, THE DELICATE THINGS THAT  GIRLS DO is an empowering group exhibition at Signs and Symbols on display starting June 15,  2023 through July 29, 2023. The exhibition features Rachael Catharine Anderson, Sarah  Anderson, Shaqayeq Arabi, Annabel Daou, Ornella Fieres, Karen Finley, Jeewi Lee, Rachel  Libeskind, Linder, Pola Sieverding and Ann Weathersby.

Ann Weathersby, She wouldn’t have known if she were the one in the story, or the one outside watching the story, 2023, Pigment prints on silk; acrylic paint; silk, cotton, and linen; cotton and rayon threads; cotton batting, 57.75 x 42.5 inches (146.69 x 107.95 cm); The story stops with the photographs, 2023, Pigment print on cotton canvas; silk; cotton and rayon threads; MDF; acrylic paint; gilt varnish; brass hardware; locket and chain; silk ribbon, 20 x 12.25 inches (50.8 x 31.12 cm); titled after Marguerite Duras, Le Navire Night. © Ann Weathersby; Courtesy of the artist and signs and symbols, New York.

For She wouldn’t have known if she were the one in the story, or the one outside watching the story, 2023 Anne Weathersby chose a black and white portrait of a woman showing her back to  the camera, wearing an oversized shirt while standing amongst nature. It is superimposed with  various photographs of women both naked and dressed with yellow and magenta translucent  color blocks. For another piece titled, The story stops with the photograph, 2023 Weatherby uses  Sharon Tate as her subject. The artist chose pigment print on cotton, silk, linen and rayon threads  to produce her work. Some of her other works on display include I am unsealed, I am  incandescent, 2021-23 and Pretty girls, yes, very, all sugar and spice, 2023. Anne Weathersby’s  works are a mockery to the male gaze and patriarchy. In all four of her works, she continues to  remind us how women are being watched and observed by the likes of misogynists and sexists  even when women are just trying to be themselves. Women have been sexualized by men for as  long as humans have existed and the artist skillfully manages to remind of the same. She uses the  most distinct mediums to present her artwork.

Rachel Libeskind, Free Girl I, 2023, Printed color aid sheet, 12.6 x 9.5 inches (32 x 24 cm). © Rachel Libeskind; Courtesy of the artist and signs and symbols, New York.

Rachel Libskind uses Printed color aid sheets in artist frames for her work. Her subjects in Naked  girls enjoying a boat trip, 2023 are two women rowing a boat and Free Girl I, 2023 is a topless  woman jumping. Liberation comes to mind upon the first gaze at the two photographs. The  subjects are performing actions that women are usually advised against hence bringing forward the feminist approach of the artist.  

Pola Sieverding, touche-touche #6, 2023, Pigment print on paper, 24 x 16 inches (61 x 41 cm), Edition of 5, +2 AP. © Pola Sieverding; Courtesy of the artist and signs and symbols, New York.

Pola Sieverding’s touche-touche #3, touche-touche #5 and touche-touche #6 are simple yet aesthetic. The subjects are human forearms and depict two humans holding hands. The action of holding hands being performed in touche-touche #3 appears to be more sturdy when juxtaposed with touche-touche #5 and touche-touche #6. The action is delicately poised in the last two images. The ambiguity of the images leaves it up to the audience to determine the genders of the  subjects while leaving them with the thought of how gender comes into play even while  performing the simplest of actions. Ornella Fieres’ Postcards to M/ GAN2, 2020 and Linder’s Untitled (Ballet Photomontage), 2006 manage to capture the delicateness of femininity even  though the works are fourteen years apart. 

Ornella Fieres, Postcards to M / GAN2, 2020 Acrylic photo print, framed, 31.5 x 31.5 inches (80 x 80 cm), Unique. © Ornella Fieres; Courtesy of the artist and signs and symbols, New York.

Rachel Libeskind, Naked girls enjoying a boat trip, 2023, Printed color aid sheet, 9.25 x 6.5 inches (23.5 x 16.5 cm). © Rachel Libeskind; Courtesy of the artist and signs and symbols, New York.

One piece of art inspired eleven female artists to amaze the audience with their interpretation of  it. Each artist presented their view on how women are supposed to behave according to the  patriarchal society in the most exceptional way. Anne Weathersby, Rachel Libskind, Ornella  Fieres, Linder, and Pola Sieverding chose photography, photomontage and collages as artistic mediums to present their interpretation. THE DELICATE THINGS THAT GIRLS DO is an exciting group exhibition that astutely and creatively mocks the sexist world.