SHE: Deconstructing Female Identity explores what it means to be a woman in contemporary America. In an age that so heavily emphasizes identity, women of all ages struggle with the trappings of being female and with their own self-perception. SHE explores the concept that femininity, and gender generally, is a grand performance piece — a constant play between societal “norms” and self-definition.

The 11 exhibiting artists work across media and engage with themes of the body, self-presentation, a woman’s “proper” space, gender roles, and feminine personas. Many of the works draw on accessories and accoutrement that are identified with traditional notions of femininity (handbags, bras, doilies, nail polish) transforming these items into vehicles for witty reflections on modern womanhood. SHE will debut several new works as well as commissions specifically for the exhibition.