How do we view the bodies of women who are tall and strong and fast—do we interpret them in a positive way, or as not appropriately feminine? If women athletes do not conform to traditional norms of femininity, what are the consequences? Do successful female athletes enjoy the rewards often bestowed on male athletes, and does the success of women in sports translate into success for women in other social spheres? These are some of the questions posed by the exhibit Women in Motion: Fitness, Sport, and the Female Figure, according to co-curator Laurie Shrage, professor of Philosophy and director of the Women’s Studies Program at FIU. The exhibit, drawn from The Wolfsonian’s collection, is on view in The Wolfsonian Teaching Gallery at the Frost Art Museum on the Modesto A. Maidique Campus at Florida International University from January 26 through April 24, 2011. Dionne Stephens, assistant professor of Psychology and African and African Diaspora Studies, also co-curated the exhibit, as did Jon Mogul, The Wolfsonian’s coordinator of academic programs. Additional assistance was provided by Christi Navarro, the graduate assistant at the Women’s Studies Program, who coordinated aspects of the exhibit and continues to work on public programming.
The materials on view include posters, magazines, prints, books, and ceramics produced by governments, fitness advocates, advertisers, and artists in Europe and the United States during the first half of the twentieth century. “Many of the images invite the viewer to focus on the sexual and feminine appeal of the athletes, rather than on their athletic skills or activities,” explains Shrage. Both curators emphasize that issues raised by the historic material in the exhibit are relevant to today’s society. “Professional and college sports are tremendously influential in terms of how particular groups in our society are perceived—this is true for women; for African, Jewish, and Asian Americans; for Latino/as; and for lesbians and gay men,” Shrage says. Stephens offers a contemporary parallel: “Anna Kornikova is one of the highest paid female athletes in terms of endorsements, but she’s not the most successful. Women’s bodies are so central to their success. This is not something new. It’s been going on for generations.”
In addition to exploring ambivalence related to women’s physical activity, the exhibit also conveys the idea of physical fitness as a social obligation, as well as an individual good. Women in Motion includes political propaganda celebrating “female fitness in relation to national objectives, such as reproducing and expanding the population,” Shrage says.
Shrage and Stephens spent several months working on the exhibit with the guidance of Mogul. It was the first curatorial experience for both professors. “This was very exciting for me. There aren’t a lot of opportunities like this for university faculty to engage with a museum collection. It is quite rare,” notes Stephens. Both professors will integrate the exhibition into their teaching this semester. “I hope the exhibit will help students make connections between the objects on view and broader social issues, and also make connections between what they learn in the classroom and how it relates to our world,” says Stephens. She will teach two class sessions of her course Psychology of Women at the Frost and the exhibit will be tied to a course assignment; Shrage will incorporate the exhibit into an assignment for her online course Gays and Lesbians Across Society. In addition, during the exhibition the curators will organize talks, panels, and films—for information on public programming related to Women in Motion, check the Women’s Studies Center website, which will list the programs as they are scheduled.
The exhibit opening takes place on January 26 at 6pm at the Frost Art Museum and is part of the Target Wednesday After Hours Program. Women in Motion is made possible with financial support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and it is the third such exhibit to be on view in The Wolfsonian Teaching Gallery.