(OCEANVILLE (GALLOWAY TWP.), NJ) -- The Noyes Museum of Art of Stockton University presents The Fluidity of Gender: Sculpture by Linda Stein, an exhibition that explores the continuum between the binaries of masculinity and femininity, September 21, 2015 - January 5, 2016. A lecture by the artist and performance is scheduled for November 12, 6:00 – 7:45 pm. For more information call (609) 652-8848 or visit www.noyesmuseum.org.
Linda Stein is an artist, activist, lecturer, performer and video artist who explores gender roles and inspires the compassion, empathy and bravery it takes to become an “upstander” rather than a bystander. Her work concerns gender, oppression, bullying, strength, power and justice in contemporary culture. Fluidity of Gender is a seven year touring exhibition that will be viewed at more than 24 United States museums and universities through 2015.
In this multi-media exhibition, the artist visually and viscerally answers the questions: “Are we in the midst of a Gender Revolution?” “Are there new definitions of masculinity and femininity in today’s culture and do they seek parity/protection/peace as the goal?” With larger-than-life blackened leather, metal, zippered and buckled figures and paper sculptures hung on mannequins, coat racks and walls, many of these works are ready to be worn by visitors who can view themselves in mirrors. Stein aims to empower her viewers and offer them a sense of protection, something she has longed for since she was a little girl. She gets her inspiration from characters that embody strength and social justice. In many of her body armor pieces, she uses characters such as Wonder Woman, Princess Mononoke, and Kannon, an Asian goddess of protection and compassion.
A keynote speaker and lecturer for peace and equality, Stein takes a no-holds-barred approach toward critiquing egregious patterns of gender-based violence in our culture, invoking a more enlightened experience of gender identity. “My goal,” Stein says, “is to use my art to transform social consciousness and promote activism for gender justice.” Stein was born in the Bronx, New York. She attended the visual arts school at Queens College and, while working as an art teacher, she earned her masters from Pratt Institute in New York City. Linda Stein has had numerous media interviews with major press outlets including “US Weekly,” “Rolling Stone,” “USA Today,” “The Early Show,” “E! Entertainment,” “The Situation Room with Paula Zahn,” and “Nightline.”
About Noyes:
The Noyes Museum of Art was founded in OceanVille, NJ, in 1983 to collect, preserve, and exhibit American fine and folk emphasis on New Jersey artists and folk art forms. Today, the Noyes Museum’s exhibitions continue to reflect the area’s cultural heritage, while also presenting significant artwork by regional and national artists working in a variety of media. The Noyes expanded to include satellite galleries in Hammonton, Atlantic City, and at Seaview Resort in Galloway. The Noyes Shop: Hammonton, which opened in 2008, specializes in custom framing and can be reached at (609) 561-8006. In February 2010, Noyes Museum of Art formed a partnership with Stockton College (now Stockton University) to form The Noyes Museum Stockton College. Through a 2013 partnership with the CRDA, The Noyes Museum of Art of Stockton University opened The Arts Garage of Stockton University, a unique multi-use arts and retail space at 2200 Fairmount Avenue in Atlantic City.
The Noyes Museum of Art of Stockton University is located one and a half miles south of Historic Smithville Village, off at 733 Lily Lake Road, OceanVille, New Jersey, 08231 (Galloway Twp.). Museum Hours are: Monday through Saturday to 4:30 p.m., with extended hours Thursdays until 8:00 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5:00 p.m. Closed on major holidays. Admission $5 for adults, $4 for students and seniors. View all upcoming exhibitions and events at www.noyesmuseum.org.
