The Blog

The Journey of Feminism in the Workplace, By Sean Ward, Co-Owner, HUE Gallery of Contemporary Art

The works of Dana Blickensderfer are that of intrigue into the complexity of women in the workplace, in her group exhibition, The Naked Eye. Each piece has characteristics of a different style, whilst still compelling the viewer to interpret these works in what seems to be a personal relationship of the focal point of the paintings with the surrounding elements of a different gender. “Working Woman I” is a complex puzzle of bright colors and symbolism, that from a centric point of view, the eye leads you into a figure, not male nor female, sitting in a chair watching the center of the painting, which is bombarding the rest of the composition with torpedoes under the brand name of Chanel No.5, or so I assume as the viewer. This calls into question while this label, which looks like a fighter jet that is unleashing this barrage, but at the cockpit of the jet, there is a watch’s crown, ready to be turned towards the future or the past. Will this mysterious attack of feministic power be a sign towards the future of the workplace? Or is this a struggle to cope with the current and past ideals of what it is to be a female in the workplace. It’s up to the viewer to decide. Yet, this is not the only painting in this exhibition, nor is it the only work by Dana in this exhibition. Moving forward to the last work of the series, “Working Woman IV” is where I begin to see the glamour of being a female in the workplace, and my earlier conception of the series of work is turned upside down, it’s not about a female trying to take power, but rather, feminism taking a stronger stand towards what it is to be an employee in the workplace. This painting, with a crowned, female with elegant curls of hair and a smug look on her face, adorned with imagery of lust in the female gaze on her clothing, tells me a story of just how strong a female can be and the blacks, gray and white coloration of the designs around her, connect me to the corporate world itself. There’s a journey at play here through the works and I suggest everyone take a moment to view these works for yourself and make your own story.

To see the full exhibition visit, https://danablickensderfer.com/galleries/the-naked-eye/

For the full exhibition press release, [Click Here]