Work in Progress

Artistic director Jann Haworth presents Work In Progress, a collaborative traveling exhibit that celebrates women who are catalysts for change.

Work In Progress brings to the fore the diverse contributions women have made to our lives in a range of fields including but not limited to: science, math, the arts, technology, and social, political and domestic activism.

The subject of Work in Progress is timely, because by 2018, women will make up the majority of the of the country’s workforce but still battle a persistent wage gap. Statistics reveal that gender equality, especially in pay, is the goal but not the reality, and given the current trajectory, won’t be for another 118 years.

During the last three months, Haworth and fellow artist Liberty Blake have helped more than 60 people contribute to the twenty-foot-wide, 8-foot-tall collage. Along with the mural, acclaimed photographer Lynn Blodgett has taken portraits of the participants, which will be hung alongside the mural, to recognize those in the community who are active participants in the strive for equality.

This community-based method creation and expression encourages the project to grow as it travels from one community to the next, adding local character as it recognizes the dynamic women in each community, compelling those involved (creator and viewer) to identify both how the contributions have impacted them personally, and to better articulate their own fundamental desire for progress.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.