Two South Dakota artists recently had their work on display in a New York exhibition. Proceeds from the sold out show--titled Nasty Woman--benefit Planned Parenthood.
The Nasty woman art exhibit in New York put out a call for female-identifying artists in late 2016. Naomi Even-Aberle from Rapid City was one of more than 600 selected artists to donate work. She explains the show’s title.
“It actually came from a debate with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton where Donald Trump, under his breath, called Clinton a nasty woman. And it was supposed to be a derogatory comment. But instead, what happened is through pop culture and media, this term was taken to mean like a powerful strong woman that defines herself. And I really liked how something that was given in a negative can be turned to a positive.”
Even-Aberle says artists were asked to price their work under 100 dollars.
“This was my way of standing up, sharing my voice, but then also making money for an organization that represents the same values that I have. And I think a lot of people that purchased art work, you know, this is a very tangible way that they could interact in a time where sometimes you don’t feel like you can.”
Even-Aberle says the gallery sold about 75 percent of the work in the first 3 hours. The exhibit later sold all of the art and more than $42,000 in proceeds were raised for Planned Parenthood.
Anastasia Smith is another Rapid City artist chosen for the exhibit.
“I need to say something right now. I need to say stand up and say I’m here and I matter because for me it felt like the election said you don’t matter. So it’s been really hard to deal with that emotionally and this was a really great way to say that I matter as an artist as well as a woman as well as a human being. And to be able to go out there and actually make a difference and to be a part of a show where my art was this thing that was making the difference.”
Smith says she entered the competition because she wanted to speak through her work. 30 other venues world-wide are preparing similar Nasty Woman exhibitions.