Photo by: Shannon Collins
This art is meant to create a dialogue. What would you say?
ArtRAGEous is a student art show put together by Rape Awareness and Gender Education (R.A.G.E.) that showcases the thoughts and experiences of students through various mediums. ArtRAGEous is on display May 3-5 in the Driscoll Gallery.
A number of the pieces in the exhibit are by Varinia Rodriguez, a second-year student studying gender and women’s studies.
Composed of eight photographs titled “A Collection of Stories, Acceptance and Pledges,” Rodriguez brought people together through her work with the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program (RAAP) to generate discussions about the presence of victims of rape in society and the stigma that goes along with that victimization.
“Erasing the idea of victim blaming and exposing to the world that sexual violence is not as distant of a topic as some people think,” said Rodriguez. “I decided the best way to start getting people involved was through this photography project.”
One of these photographs was a woman Rodriguez who worked with at RAAP, standing nude with her arms covering her chest. On her arms “I am not a victim” is written in bold marker. The expression on her face is both serene and stern as she gazes back at the camera.
“The pictures now range from stories of acceptance, people wanting to be allies, and a bridge in appreciation for body and conquering of sexuality,” said Rodriguez. “I wanted an array of people to get involved by writing pledges, statistics or their feelings toward the violence they encountered to put these messages on the forefront.”
Another of Rodriguez’s photographs depicts a man’s torso, shown naturally with hair covering his chest and the words “stop thinking of myself as a victim” written along the right side of his chest. The “O” in “of” circles his nipple, and the word “victim” is underlined.
Here, Rodriguez expands notions of victimization beyond that of women by showing that men are also victims of sexual assault and rape.
Another artist showcased in artRAGEous is Nicci Shaw, a junior at DU and member of RAGE.
One of her untitled pieces is a digital collage of words shaping a girl’s blank facial expression. Many of the words are difficult to read, but some that stand out include “guilt,” “shame,” “bitter” and “anger.” The words, and thus the girl’s face, are black and white, while a rose in the bottom left of the frame is red and is also covered in the overarching words describing the women’s experience with sexual assault.
Shaw has three pieces in the art show. One of which is similar to this piece, and the other depicts a face hidden behind a shattered mirrors with blood dripping on a rose.
Mara Sakry, a DU alumna, also has work showcased in artRAGEous, titled “For My Daughters.”
Her painting depicts a woman standing naked in a large room wearing only a tiger mask that completely covers her head. Her arms are at her side, but in the shadow depicted by her body, her shadow is in a dominant pose with arms held high like claws and legs bent as though to ward off predators.
For more information visit www.du.edu/studentlife/Sexual_Assault. The office for Gender Violence Education and Support Services is located in 103 Nelson Residence Hall.
