June 1 - June 5, 2000
Powell Library Rotunda

Opening June 1 at 7:00pm
Curators: Sarah Milstein & Azadeh Ensha
Artists: Michell Arthur, Margaret Lazzan, Mariona Barkus, Beverly Naidus, & Sarah Milstein

In regards to selecting a theme, we felt that an introspective of the female body was a highly appropriate and pertinent choice given society's loathsome mass marketization and preoccupation with the female form. Sadly, it is these unrealistic images of women that have and continue to contribute to the growing number of girls and women who suffer from eating disorders. In fact, the National Institute of Mental Health estimates that over five million Americans suffer from eating disorders. Consequently, we felt a great sense of urgency to take some recourse in confronting the problem. Our decision in using the medium of art to expose such an issue was brought on, of course, by the opportunity to do so through this seminar, but perhaps even more so, because of our own belief that the medium of art is a highly powerful one, especially in its ability to stimulate discussion. 

In this regard, the selection of works to be exhibited was a highly critical one. Though the proliferation of art conducted on this topic may appear at first glance to render the selection process less arduous, we found that the sheer volume of work made it even more important to select pieces that would have a profound impact on the viewer. To this end, and with the help of Professor Von Blum, we were very privileged in meeting with some highly talented female artists whose work on this subject could be described as nothing short of spectacular. 

Indeed, Michelle Arthur, Mariona Barkus, Margaret Lazzari, and Beverly Naidus's works brilliantly display the complexity of emotions that such a theme evokes. As female artists, they bring a unique perspective to our topic because as women, they too, have been impacted by this problem, and as artists, they can manifest such feelings in their art. The fact that each piece resonated so powerfully with us, and it is hoped with the viewer, is a testament to the artists' success in bringing such issues to light. 

We would like, then, to express our heartfelt gratitude to each artist who, despite a busy schedule and obligations of her own, was more than willing to help us in the completion of our project. Thanks to you, we have gained a newfound appreciation for art and the artistic community as a whole. 

And certainly, we would like to thank Professor Von Blum for his continued assistance in this project, but beyond that, for his refreshingly unique style of teaching replete with passion, compassion, wit, and perhaps most importantly, an unwaveringly sincere commitment to his students. 

Finally, to our viewers, the completion of such an exhibit was a lengthy one. But we remain adamant in our belief that such an issue deserves an exhibit, and to that end, we worked extremely hard. So we hope that you will take time to enjoy the quality of the pieces and discuss their significance. In short, we hope that this exhibit will prove to be as rewarding a use of your time as it was ours. 

Azadeh Ensha and Sarah Milstein 
Los Angeles, 2000