Curatorial Statement:

Throughout history, ceramic objects have been vehicles for imagination, ideology and action. Through their form, function, aesthetic, and meanings they give us a glimpse of the past. As the world shifts to new possibilities and practices due to distance communication and connection, objects of the past can stimulate our imaginations and inspire us to new interpretations and production. The first phase of this multi-faceted project brings together women from the Middle East and its surrounding areas with women whose research and/or artistic practice is intrinsically connected to the region.

The exhibition focuses attention on this underrepresented population’s wide-ranging artistic roles and provides a platform where their voices can be heard, and their expertise and contributions recognized.In this collaboration, a group of scholars and writers each choose one object from the ceramic collections at Museum of Art at Vanderbilt University. Each person provided a formal, conceptual written description of the artwork to one of the selected artists. The artists created an artwork based solely on the description they receive, as selected piece remained anonymous until the opening night of the exhibition at the Museum at Vanderbilt university. While the artists had freedom of interpretation, some semblance of a formal and conceptual connection based on the rescript ion were encouraged. Each artist’s artwork stands as a new and individual piece while it evidenced its relatedness with the original. Through this interchange and collaboration, there was an examination of the contrasts between the concrete and abstract and how descriptive text can evoke meaningful expression to create a tangible response.

This project explores colonial histories and narratives which have compromised the stories of women, especially women of color, as thinkers and makers, and negated their role in the process of creating art, as well as writing and interpreting it. This segment addresses the role of historical ceramic objects and examines new strategic plans in curatorial practices in contemporary art. The reinterpretation and re-imagination of historical objects in institutional spaces would be articulated through the combined voices of women writers, scholars and artists.​​​​