“Women Warriors” Opening Reception

The Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art (HVCCA) is excited to announce a new exhibition, “Women Warriors,” opening October 15^th at 5pm. “Women Warriors” honors the 100^th anniversary of women’s suffrage in America, as well as the continuing fight for equal rights in the public sphere. A voting booth will be created by artist Isis Kenney in conjunction with ArtsWestchester’s “Give Us The Vote” exhibition. Kenney is creating four large panels depicting “women warriors” such as Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, and Adelina Otero-Warren as comic book superheroes fighting for the common cause of human rights. The work of Cey Adams, celebrated muralist, designer, and artist will also be on display with his culture-laden American flags. Both Kenney and Adams utilize the visual language of Hip-Hop in their work to create bold, colloquial images that speak to the essence of what it is to be an American citizen and warrior.

Isis Kenney describes the importance of “Women Warriors” by saying: “Women, no matter where they are in the world, have faced astronomical challenges, whether on the basis of religion, tradition, culture, even fashion. We are living in a community and an atmosphere that demeans women, that is interested in making them more vulnerable and more insecure. Young girls need to recognize their power. A lot of times, we don’t see that this is an ongoing issue. I think that this show, in highlighting these powerful women in history, asks us to think about ourselves and where we are in history.”

Livia Straus, director and co-founder of HVCCA, says: “Our vision of America would negate our seeing women so demeaned, yet it is only 100 years ago since American women gained the right to vote, only 152 years ago since the abolition of slavery. As racial tensions still plague us, and the possibility of a female president eludes us, we look to history to teach what has been accomplished and what ingrained issues still must be addressed. We celebrate the suffragettes as super heroes of our past as Marvel’s Wonder Woman explodes on our screens and Super Woman carries the weight of the world on her shoulders.”

In the spirit of free expression, the opening reception of “Women Warriors” will feature an open mic for participants to read poetry, rap, or share their thoughts. The opening reception will take place on October 15^th at HVCCA, from 5 to 7pm.

Born in Poughkeepsie, New York, Isis Kenney currently lives and works in New York City. In 2004, Isis moved to Brooklyn, New York, and studied at the School of Visual Arts, The City College of New York and SUNY Empire State College. Isis Kenney’s nuanced understanding of the current political climate is displayed in her artwork, weaving political, social and cultural commentary into brilliant collages.

Cey Adams, a New York City native, emerged from the downtown graffiti movement to exhibit alongside fellow artists Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. As the Creative Director of hip hop mogul Russell Simmons’ Def Jam Recordings, he co-founded the Drawing Board, the label’s in-house visual design firm, where he created visual identities, album covers, logos, and advertising campaigns for Run DMC, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Notorious B.I.G., Maroon 5, and Jay-Z. Cey draws inspiration from 60’s pop art, sign painting, comic books, and popular culture. His work focuses on themes including pop culture, race and gender relations, cultural and community issues.