Current Exhibition

Girls Just Wanna Lay The Smackdown: Zeinab Saab

May 5 -29

Reception: May 15, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Girls Just Wanna Lay the Smackdown discusses themes of nostalgia, gender roles, distorted memories and reality through the lens of professional wrestling from the late 90’s to early 00’s. What girl doesn’t want to have an extensive gel pen collection and give a Stone Cold Stunner to their sibling? Girls Just Wanna Lay the Smackdown pulls together a collection of works - gel pen tapestry studies on paper, and woven silk screened prints to form a body of work that explores the nuances of wrestling with girlhood. Like wrestling, girlhood is not a one size fits all idea or experience- it too contains moments of rage, disappointment, joy, tenderness and intimacy, heartbreak, and a wide variety of color and tapestry.

Artist Talk & Workshop: May 13, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. in Rm 250

Join us Wednesday, May 13th, 3-5pm for an artist talk and hands on workshop with exhibiting artist Zeinab Saab as part of her exhibition "Girls Just Wanna Lay The Smackdown". Saab will discuss their art practice and lead a workshop where participants are invited to make paper weavings utilizing printed photographs or images that hold nostalgic weight for them. These images will be woven with other papers to create a pattern. 

What to Bring: Printed images around 5-7 to 6 x 8 inches that can. be cut and woven with decorative or blank paper. Or email prints to mbkenne2@neiu.edu by May 10th, for them to be printed for you.