10 Artists / 2000 Speculums exhibition

CREATIVE PUSH PRESENTS EXHIBITION OF ARTWORK MADE FROM

SPECULUMS IN 10 ARTISTS / 2000 SPECULUMS

10 Artists / 2000 Speculums

October 3–14, 2018 

at The Step Gallery at ASU Grant Street Studios

Opening reception: October 5, 2018, 6–9pm

PHOENIX, AZ, September 10, 2018—Creative Push is organizing an exhibition featuring

newly commissioned artwork by ten Phoenix-based artists that utilize the speculum, a tool used during gynecological exams to view the cervix and vagina. The project originated with the donation of 2,000 speculums from the Arizona obstetric and gynecological health organization MomDoc to create an art project that raises awareness on the topic of women’s health issues and promotes early screening exams.

10 Artists / 2000 Speculums presents a new, often unseen, view of the speculum. The ten

artists, including Malena Barnhart, Elizabeth Brice-Heames, Sue Chenoweth, Saskia Jorda,

Cydnei Mallory, Ann Morton, Christy Puetz, Rebecca Blume Rothman, Forrest Solis, and Jen Urso, will reinterpret the speculum giving the taboo object new meaning, possibly through the use of surreal, whimsical, or humorous tactics. The medical devices used in gynecological exams are intimidating and can cause anxiety, especially ones that expose the most intimate and vulnerable parts of the body, making some avoid routine check-ups altogether. By using speculums as artistic material, the project aims to demystify the medical device, creating familiarity with its form and reducing the fear of its use in medical exams.

“What started out as an odd request during studio visits to create artwork using speculums has transformed into a powerful discussion about not only women’s health, but also their personal journeys that form a universal bond with other women,” said curator Lauren R. O’Connell. “This exhibition, as well as each individual artwork, has the opportunity to shape a new dialogue around the female experience, one that is free of shame, embarrassment, and stigma.”

Diego Gettler, MomDoc Relationship Director, shared, “Our hope with the donations of these

speculums is that the artists through their creative expression can create artwork that inspires women to get their exams. Exams save lives and open a door for the patient to get important information for their health and wellbeing.”

On view October 3–14, 2018 at The Step Gallery at ASU’s Grant Street Studios, this exhibition will act as a platform for conversations around women’s health, creating an opportunity to truly impact a woman’s life. Crossing the boundaries of art and health, 10 Artists / 2000 Speculums brings multiple communities together under a shared goal to raise awareness for women’s health, highlighting both challenges and victories of the female experience.

10 Artists / 2000 Speculums is curated by Lauren R. O’Connell with Creative Push Founder

Forrest Solis. Generous funding is provided by ASU Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts Project Grant. Additional support is provided by MomDoc.

About Creative Push

Creative Push, established in 2015, is an art and oral history project about the physical and

emotional life of women, looking most critically at the events around giving birth. Its mission is to share women’s experiences without judgment and to provide a space for artists to freely express elements of womenhood in their art. The on-going project has recorded over one hundred birth stories, curated over thirty original works of art and numerous exhibitions,

created an ongoing virtual exhibition at http://creativepush.org, developed the Creative Push

Podcast, produced the film “Our Creation Stories” and debuted it at the Heard Museum, and

participated in several public health events such as Reproductive Health Arizona. The audio

recordings of birth stories are publicly available as a podcast on Creative Push’s website and as unedited recordings in an oral history archive at the ASU Digital Library.

About MomDoc and MomDoc Charities

MomDoc is the first obstetric and gynecological center in Arizona to offer 3D and 4D Live

Motion Ultrasound. They continue a tradition of using the latest technology, including

laparoscopic and robotic surgery, to provide contemporary obstetrical and gynecological care for women. MomDoc Charities is a not-for-profit 501(c) organization that promotes healthy moms and healthy babies. MomDoc Charities actively participates in community events and national movements.

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