TAMPA, Fla.– Two artists in the Skyway 2024: A Contemporary Collaboration exhibition at the Tampa Museum of Art reflect and celebrate the diverse experiences of women, aligning with The University of Tampa’s majority female population. Their work encourages dialogue about gender issues, inspiring future leaders and advocates among the student body.
On Sept. 15 at 1 p.m., I attended an event, Skyway in Conversation, which featured multimedia artist Marina Shaltout and visual artist Aimee Jones, who discussed their work in the exhibit and their creative processes. I found the talk informative as their artwork focused on the female experience.
The Skyway exhibit opened on May 25, 2024, and features diverse artists from all over the Tampa Bay area. The exhibition is meant to commemorate the diversity of artist’s practices.
Joanna Robotham, the curator of modern and contemporary art at the Tampa Museum of Art, said they strive to create exhibitions that attract audiences of all ages.
“Given the heightened politicization of the female body over the past few years, I was intrigued by how Aimee and Marina reflected on the representations of the female body in their art,” said Robotham. “In Aimee’s work, the body is present yet concealed. In Marina’s work, remnants of the body are featured, along with objects uniquely made as ‘feminine.’”
Jones has two different mediums of art on display: paintings and vases. The four paintings explore her interpretation of women’s experiences, challenging societal norms around femininity and prompting others to rethink their perceptions of the female body. Additionally, Jones has five 2D vases on display made of wood and oil paints in the style of theater props; the shape of each vase is meant to resemble women’s body types.
“Domesticity to me is always tied to femininity classically. It’s obvious things change,” said Jones. “But I’ve always thought of this like the woman being tied to the domestic object, and every domestic object feels feminism.”
When seen on display at the museum, Jones’ work resembles a sitting room with a table of vases and beautiful paintings hanging around. Shaltout’s work resembles a washroom, giving the illusion this corner of the exhibit is a house.
Shaltout’s installation takes up a corner of two walls modeled after a bathroom, complete with tiles, a rod, and a shower curtain. She uses hair throughout the installation to create faces and “Live Laugh Love” on the tiles.
Shaltout also incorporates a television that plays a video of her interacting with her hair, reminiscent of the moments when you’re washing your hair and bits of it fall out, which you might place on the shower wall. The installation also features bedazzled razors, candles, and a wine glass.
“That’s why I kind of utilize rhinestones and things that are glitzy and glamorous because there’s this facade of fixing oneself and focusing on self-care when that’s actually not what we needed at that time,” said Shaltout.
Shaltout’s work explores the intricacies of femininity, highlighting its performative nature while opening a dialogue around societal expectations around self-care and appearance. Her work critiques the illusion of beauty and the pressures women endure to conform to that standard.
These aren’t the only two artists showcased in the exhibition, but they are the ones I had the opportunity to engage with. The artwork on display appeals to a diverse audience, regardless of gender.
“Curiosity sparks change, I hope people take time out of their day to go to this museum and see what the art world has to offer,” said Cari Beattie, audience member and graduate of Ringling College of Art and Design.
The Tampa Museum of Art is a great spot to visit as it’s nearby, and admission is free every day for college students as long as they have a valid ID. Being a college student comes with many perks, such as attending events at the museum for no extra charge and free admission.
You can still attend a Skyway in Conversation as they are still happening. This event is part of the museum’s 30-minute Sunday session program; the next Skyway artist talk is with Aesopbookofrot and Purvis Young on Oct. 6 at 1 p.m.
“I see this talk as a seed for something larger, it takes just one person to transfer that energy into the local art community,” said Beattie.
The Skyway exhibit is set to end on Jan. 26, 2025. If you’re not a college student, every Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m., the Tampa Museum of Art offers Art on the House. During this event, visitors can choose whatever admission price they want to pay.