She Said, She Said: Contemporary Women Artists

Beginning with its title, She Said, She Said: Contemporary Women Artists presents a focused opportunity to assess the many valuable contributions that women have made to contemporary art. The exhibition’s name is a play on the conventional expression “he said, she said,” which suggests that when a man and a woman disagree, one can only give up on coming to a settled conclusion. The familiar phrase suggests stasis—an inability to move forward on matters ranging from sexual violence to equal pay and political representation, despite the forceful accounts and opinions that women put forward.

Alternatively, She Said, She Said emphasizes the undeniable power inherent in women’s voices. The exhibition offers a rich exploration of the multifaceted nature of being a woman, and a woman artist, by celebrating artists of different generations, cultures, and disciplines. As demonstrated throughout the presentation, one singular female perspective does not exist. Rather, there are numerous and diverse perspectives and methods of creation by which women assert their place, not only in the world of art and museums, but in society at large.

The exhibition features over 37 artists, with artworks dating from the late 1960s to the present. Themes of self-representation, sexuality, autonomy, abstraction, cultural roles, and interventions into art history emerge through a range of mediums, including painting, photography, video, sculpture, textile, and large-scale installation. The exhibition highlights artwork that is expressive, celebratory, critical, and often intimate, creating a dynamic experience that shifts from room to room and artwork to artwork.

She Said, She Said includes some artworks with content that may not be suitable for all viewers, including nudity, sexual themes, and references to violence. Akron Art Museum staff members are available at the Museum’s front desk and throughout the galleries to answer any questions.