‘Still, I Rise’
MONMOUTH, Ill. – When Monmouth College art professor Janis Wunderlich won Best of Show for a ceramic piece at a national juried exhibition last fall, she said the piece depicted “a way to rise above.”
Now, a year later, she has built an entire exhibit around that theme. “Still, I Rise” opened Oct. 19 at the College’s Len G. Everett Gallery in Hewes Library, and it will be on display through Nov. 19.
That duality was present in her winning work from a year ago, titled “Vulnerabilities,” which is part of the exhibit.
“There’s joy and sadness in that piece,” she said. “It’s wonderful and difficult at the same time … the beauty and the struggle.”
She also spoke of the difficulty in creating it – it blew apart during the firing process – and the simultaneous difficulty in her life.
“I made this piece as a way to rise above … rising above the difficult culture … rising above the things that are dangerous and difficult in a woman’s life,” she said.
In the months since its creation, difficult times have followed for the entire world.
“There are many among us who have been historically undervalued or marginalized by socially-constructed biases related to gender, race, body image and economic status,” said Wunderlich. “This year a global pandemic, extreme political division, racial tension and environmental disasters have set up a precarious and oppressive landscape.”
“Out of the huts of history’s shame/I rise/Up from a past that’s rooted in pain/I rise.” – Maya Angelou
The title of her exhibit comes from the Maya Angelou poem “Still I Rise,” which includes the lines: “Out of the huts of history’s shame/I rise/Up from a past that’s rooted in pain/I rise.”
Said Wunderlich: “My art tells stories which acknowledge the struggles and burdens of human vulnerability, as well as the strength and resiliency born from human kindness and connection. Nurturing bonds and intimate relationships create buoyancy, allowing us to rise above the ashes, overcoming obstacles as we float boldly toward a better future.”
Photographs of the exhibit may be viewed online at Wunderlich’s website.
Because of the pandemic, no public events or receptions will be held this year for exhibits in the Everett Gallery. Following College policies, individuals visiting the gallery must wear masks, practice social distancing and refrain from touching doorways and walls.
Listen Up …
Janis Wunderlich discusses where she gets the inspiration for her work.
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