Orlando Museum of Art | Gender Show Running For Six Months

The Orlando Museum of Art is putting pieces from their permanent collections (American Art, Art of the Ancient Americas, and African Art) together with pieces from "important collectors and other fine art institutions" for the show XX-XY/Gender Representation in Art running December 18, 2010 through June 5, 2011.

The show is an overview of visual gender expression and identification and will examine how the roles of men and women are portrayed in different cultures and in different time periods.

As the line between male and female continues to blur, artists expand their understanding of what defines gender. XX or XY has been the scientific way to identify a man (XY) or a woman (XX). Whether it determines your identity, or even your gender, is now debatable in the 21st century. Issues of gender and identity seem increasingly complex and problematic, but also of fundamental and growing importance. This, of course, begs the question, "What is gender representation in the 21st century?" XX-XY/Gender Representation in Art examines gender by focusing on four main themes: domesticity, power, magnetism and enhancements. By presenting both traditional and contemporary examples of art, visitors will have a clear picture of the changing nuances in gender representation.

XX-XY/Gender Representation in Art is an exhibition in partnership with the University of Central Florida. UCF's Department of Philosophy and the Women's Studies program will use the exhibition as a part of their curriculum for students in gender studies. Monthly lectures, called The Art of Conversation, are based on the themes explored in the exhibition and will be offered to the public by UCF professors free of charge at the OMA. The lectures will take place at 1:30pm on the second Sunday of each month beginning January 9, 2011. Tours of the exhibition (also free with paid general admission) will be offered for in-depth discussion after each lecture. This potent combination of cultures, media and timeframes will explore the fluidity of gender issues through time and mores.

Orlando Museum of Art
Orlando Loch Haven Park
2416 North Mills Ave., Orlando, FL