About the event
7:30 a.m. Monday, March 2, 2020 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Multiple Buildings
7:30 a.m. Monday, March 2, 2020 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Multiple Buildings
This year’s festival will showcase arts and arts-connected work that celebrates female-identified artists, challenges patriarchal structures, and/or disrupts gender norms in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. The 2020 celebration of creativity and innovation will feature the return of many contributors in Art, Music, and Theatre Arts, plus welcome new events brought to us by colleagues in Communication Studies and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and Exercise and Sport Science, illustrating the power of art to showcase women throughout history and across disciplines. We are also delighted to welcome an exciting series of guests: singer, rapper, and writer Dessa, composer Ingrid Stölzel, and metalsmith and educator Maegan Crowley.
Join us on Monday March 2 and Tuesday March 3 for an exciting series of performances, presentations, workshops and discussions.
Curriculum is En(gender)ed
This collection of work comes from students enrolled in EDS 311: Curriculum and Pedagogy for Early Childhood-Middle Childhood/Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence. This student art display showcases pieces of art addressing engendered PK-12 school systems that attempt to understand and fight back against sexist and binary perspectives in classroom curriculum. The display will be open throughout the festival. Students and faculty will be available to discuss their work on Tuesday March 3 at 9:25 am in the Gallery.
Join Jonathan Borja and Featured Guest Artist Ingrid Stölzel in a conversation focusing on gender inequality in music composition and steps that can be implemented to achieve gender parity.
A look at how foundational garments throughout history have manipulated and artificially shaped the natural, physical form of women all in the name of fashion or status. What did/does society see as beautiful or as an ideal of beauty when looking at the female form?
An analytical journey into the life of Louisa May Alcott, and a look at how her novel Little Women has been adapted for stage and screen. This research will be curated and presented by the student dramaturg of the current UWL production of the musical.
Become familiar with artists working to shift the gaze, rewrite colonization, deconstruct patriarchy, and shape the post-Apartheid landscape.
Join us for a panel discussion with festival guests and faculty members about the challenges and experiences of women in the fields of art, music, and theatre.
Building on last year’s exploration of the dichotomy between fashion and safety for women with technical careers, Technical Director Megan Morey will share the results of the work she and a small group of students have undertaken in the past year to realize fashion designs made specifically for women who work in hands-on and traditionally male-dominated fields.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, this event has been cancelled.
Join a panel of academic women across our campus as they share the why and the how of doing creative work that is not part of their defined role on this campus. The panelists consist of creative faculty members from Communication Studies, Psychology, Economics, and Women Gender Studies who will explain how doing art feels necessary, as part of self-preservation, self-care, and just as a way to participate more broadly in the human experience and the human need for creative expression. A companion session is scheduled for Tuesday at 3:00pm with a different set of panelists.
This session is a panel discussion with faculty Technical Director Megan Morey, Scenic and Lighting Designer Amanda Kolbe, and Assistant Technical Director Katie Link, as they talk about the challenges and triumphs of working in careers and positions typically dominated by men. Come, join the conversation and share your own insights and stories.
Learn the process and tools required to form sheet metal into fluid organic forms. Maegan enjoys creating an irony between material and its expectations by translating examples of botanical gesture into forged steel, emulating their systems of growth. Her sculptural work strives to become a preservation of ephemeral forms that emphasize the beauty of detail found in nature. In addition to creating sculpture she also owns and operates Iron Maegan Metalworks, a custom metal shop in Dolores, CO. Iron Maegan Metalworks produces custom metalwork for public, residential and commercial sites such as fireplace accessories, furniture, and custom railings. She will present a slide show of her sculptures as well as the work that is produced in her shop for her clients.
Dessa is an internationally-touring rapper, singer, and writer who has built a career by defying genre conventions and audience expectations. Join us for an unforgettable evening as Dessa performs live, accompanied by the band MONAKR, and for a reception after the concert in the lobby of the Center for the Arts.
Please note that TICKETS ARE REQUIRED for this free concert. Tickets can be picked up at the Center for the Arts Box Office on Monday through Friday from 1:00-4:30 pm beginning February 24. All remaining tickets will be available at the door.
Tickets may be picked up in person only. No phone/online reservations. Limit 4 tickets per person. Limited seating available. General admission. The Center for the Arts Box Office is located on the first floor of the Center for the Arts on the UWL campus (corner of 16th and Vine Streets ).
This collection of work comes from students enrolled in EDS 311: Curriculum and Pedagogy for Early Childhood-Middle Childhood/Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence. This student art display showcases pieces of art addressing engendered PK-12 school systems that attempt to understand and fight back against sexist and binary perspectives in classroom curriculum. The display will be open throughout the festival. Students and faculty will be available to discuss their work on Tuesday March 3 at 9:25 am in the Gallery.
Faculty and Students from EDS 311—a course in curriculum and pedagogy for aspiring educators—will discuss the artwork currently on display and how educators plan for and integrate art addressing engendered PK-12 school systems that attempt to understand and fight back against sexist and binary perspectives in classroom curriculum. The display will be open throughout the festival.
This session explores movements in art history that involved the human body as a means of making a painting, with particular emphasis on feminist artists, theories and practices. Completed work will be featured, in addition to works in progress by students in painting courses. Since this approach to painting is performative in nature, the session includes various demonstrations of the process.
For the first part of this open studio, watch as featured guest Maegan Crowley forms sheet metal into fluid organic forms! Come and learn the process she goes through to forge steel into botanical forms, preserving the ephemeral forms that emphasizes the beauty of detail found in nature. As the session continues, Metalsmithing and Blacksmithing students will demonstrate both non-ferrous metalworking skills and traditional blacksmithing techniques. Students will be available to answer technical questions, discuss creative influences, and guide visitors through the two studios.
Utilizing her background in designing sportswear and team apparel, costume designer Michelle Collyar has developed an innovative method for utilizing sport fabrics to create costumes that combine beauty and ease of movement for theatre and dance productions.
Anna Atkins (1799-1871) was an English botanist and, some argue, the very first female photographer, most noted for using photography in her books on various plants. Atkins chose to use the photogram process to create what is considered the first work with photographic illustrations, entitled: Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions (1843) by placing a plant specimen on light-sensitized paper and exposing it to sunlight. In this workshop we shall be making photograms with traditional black+white photographic paper in the darkroom. Come discover this photogram technique that requires only light to capture an image. Participants will learn the tips and tricks, and leave with a creation or two of their own.
As compelling on the page as she is on the stage, Dessa will discuss her writing process and how it manifests itself in both songwriting and her published work, including her debut memoir-in-essays, My Own Devices: True Stories from the Road on Music, Science, and Senseless Love, which “stitches together poignant insights on loyalty, romance, science, and language.” Dessa will perform a short acoustic set and answer audience questions
In this hands-on session participants will use collage techniques to create their own wearable buttons championing underrepresented female artists while also becoming familiar with women artists who have shaped art history.
The creators of UWL’s production of Little Women share insights into the process of bringing this musical to the stage and how Louisa May Alcott’s story gains additional poignancy when combined with the music and lyrics of Jason Howland and Mindi Dickstein.
Join a second panel of academic women across our campus as they share the why and the how of doing creative work that is not part of their defined role on this campus. The panelists consist of creative faculty members from Environmental Studies, Communication Studies, and Murphy Library who will explain how doing art feels necessary, as part of self-preservation, self-care, and just as a way to participate more broadly in the human experience and the human need for creative expression. A companion session featuring different panelists is scheduled for Monday at 3:00 pm.
Join the UWL Jazz Orchestra for a live performance highlighting the unique contributions to the jazz repertoire by notable women jazz composers such as Mary Lou Williams, Melba Liston and Maria Schneider. Time permitting, there will be an open format discussion following the performance of why female jazz musicians have historically been under-represented in music and whether this is likely to change.
The Public Speaking Competition promotes and showcases student excellence in public speaking. Six finalists, narrowed down from a pool of over 2,000 students enrolled in CST 110 during Spring and Fall 2019, will present their persuasive speeches to an audience of community members and UWL students, instructors, and staff. This event is organized and supported by the Department of Communication Studies.
Martha Graham revolutionized the posture of dance by incorporating the contraction and release motions of the torso into her modern dance technique. A "contraction" is a curving of the spine and a "release" is returning to an aligned spine. The Classical Ballet technique since the 15th century has been based on an uplifted, straight alignment of the spine. By allowing the spine to curve, Graham created a new freedom in dance movement which has contributed to a much more expressive movement language.
In this lecture-recital, guest artist Ingrid Stölzel will tell us about the development of her compositional style through performances of two works that are ten years apart: There are Things to be Said for flute, saxophone, and piano (2009) and Leonardo Saw the Spring for flute and piano (2019). This performance will feature UWL faculty members Dr. Jonathan Borja (flute), Dr. Jeff Erickson (saxophone), and Dr. Mary Tollefson (piano).
Steven Bryant
Steven Bryant’s music is chiseled in its structure and intent, fusing lyricism, dissonance, silence, technology, and humor into lean, skillfully-crafted works that enthrall listeners and performers alike. Winner of the ABA Ostwald award and three-time winner of the NBA Revelli Award, Steven Bryant’s music for wind ensemble has reshaped the genre. A prolific composer, his substantial catalogue of music is regularly performed throughout the world. Recently, his Ecstatic Waters was premiered by the Minnesota Orchestra to "unanimous, rapturous acclaim." The son of a professional trumpeter and music educator, he strongly values music education, and his creative output includes a number of works for young and developing musicians. You can learn more about Steven at www.stevenbryant.com.
Leslie Iwai
Leslie Iwai is an installation artist and sculptor whose studies in mathematics, chemistry, and architecture (MArch Virginia Tech) inform her passion to bring unusual connections found in her research and artistic process to the surface for others’ ruminations and inspiration. As the first recipient of the Bemis Community Arts Fellowship (2005) and, most recently, as the first Artist-in-Residence for Intervarsity’s Urbana 2018 and a 2021 finalist for the Forward Art Prize, Leslie has had many awards, solo exhibits, and residencies. Her work is in numerous private and public collections, including Duncan Aviation and the Omaha Public Art Commission. Leslie has taught in both academic and community settings in Nebraska, Wisconsin, Illinois and New Mexico. She has been a contributing writer and artist for Image Journal, SEEN (CIVA) and The Well (InterVarsity). She enjoys living in and exploring Wisconsin with her husband where she creates art and collaborates and connects with her community. When not in her studio, Leslie can often be found hunting for treasures at thrift stores or walking on trails near her home in Middleton, Wisconsin. You can view her artwork at www.leslieiwai.com
Theater Mu
As one of the largest Asian American theater companies in the nation, Theater Mu produces great performances born of arts, equity, and justice. Founded in 1992, Mu tells stories from the heart of the Asian American experience, presenting a fusion of traditional and contemporary artistic influences, which range from classics to up-and-coming voices in our community. Theater Mu’s continuing goal to celebrate and empower the Asian American community through theater is achieved through mainstage productions, emerging artist support, and educational outreach programs. Theater Mu was named a Regional Cultural Treasure by the McKnight and Ford foundations through a national initiative which honors organizations that have made a significant impact on our cultural landscape over decades. Theater Mu is a member of the Consortium of Asian American Theaters & Artists as well as a member of the Twin Cities Theatres of Color Coalition, proudly standing alongside New Native Theatre, Pangea World Theater, Penumbra Theatre, and Teatro Del Pueblo. Mu (pronounced MOO) is the Korean pronunciation of the Chinese character for the shaman/ artist/warrior who connects the heavens and the earth through the tree of life. You can learn more about the company at www.theatermu.org
Morgen Chang
Morgen Chang (she/her) is a Minneapolis-based theatre and dance artist. Her interests include community-based performance and developing creative approaches across barriers of culture, language, and ability. She is trained in Applied Theatre techniques, and as a facilitator uses art and imaginative play to bring physical engagement to dialogue and build authentic relationships between people. Morgen currently serves as a teaching artist and Programs Manager with Theater Mu.
Clay Man Soo
Clay Man Soo (he/him) is an Asian-American actor and teaching artist in Minneapolis, MN. He has acted or taught at The Guthrie Theater, Theater Mu, Great River Shakespeare Festival, Park Square Theatre, Jungle Theater, The Children’s Theatre Company, Pangea World Theater, The Lab Theater, Penumbra Theatre, Playwright’s Center, New Arab-American Theater, Full Circle Theater Company, Theatre Coup D’Etat, BARd Shakespeare Company, and South Dakota Shakespeare Festival. www.claymansoo.com
Wesley Mouri
Wesley Mouri (he/him) is a Twin Cities based artist with over a decade of experience performing both locally and internationally. He has appeared with Theater Mu in Flower Drum Song and A Little Night Music. Other work includes the Guthrie Theater, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Park Square Theatre, History Theater, Jungle Theater, Children's Theater Company, and Chanhassen Dinner Theaters. Wesley's passion for Asian representation in the arts extends behind the scenes through his work as Development Director for Theater Mu
Hope Nordquist
Hope Nordquist (she/her) is a multidisciplinary performer in the Twin Cities. She has been seen at Mu in Charles Francis Chan Jr.'s Exotic Oriental Murder Mystery, tot: The Untold Story Of A Filipino Hulk Hogan, Twelfth Night, and A Little Night Music. She has been seen at Park Square Theater, The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Umbrella Collective, and The Moving Company. She can be seen every month at The Saloon where she performs as a singer and burlesque artist in Hot Pink.
Get an advanced look at the program and see all that the festival has to offer! The campus map shows the buildings where events will take place.
