Lydia Panas

I can’t tell you enough about how excited I am to see my “Evolving Archetype” series come together (and if you are a new reader- This visual arts series takes place next month in Southside Bethlehem in celebration of Women’s History Month).  I know I have talked about the One Stone Collective and my own installation at Arts Lehigh but I do have other fantastic events happening.

Thursday, March 25, photographer Lydia Panas is speaking about her work on Lehigh’s campus.  The talk is at 4pm so if you are free, you should really come!  Lydia has a show coming up at Banana Factory which opens in April entitled: “Family Secrets/Untold Stories.”  It will be a gorgeous collection of photographs.  My sister and I were photographed by her 2 summers ago and it’s a lovely experience.  If you have ever met Lydia, she is petite woman who moves a mile a minute.  So when my sister and I arrived at her home on a beautiful amount of land, Lydia was set to go.  She hauls her 4 x 5 camera, tripod, numerous pieces of film, and accessories out to the field always racing the light.  Merissa and I were photographed around dusk against some pretty berry bearing bushes but during a buggy time of day.  Lydia moved us about then would disappear under the camera tarp.  At times, she would let out a little shriek of excitement then ask us to hold our position.  We felt like china dolls!  You’ll have to find us on her website- www.lydiapanas.com! (I didn’t ask for permission to use our image here but please enjoy the one she forwarded me!)

karla stingerstein

The other thing you need to check out while around the Southside is the exhibition I have put together entitled “Chores: a contemporary discourse in domesticity.”  This opens Friday, March 5 at Banana Factory.  You’ll have to come up to the second floor to the Member’s Lounge which is a great little space to intimately view work.  I couldn’t be more thrilled about how this show has come together!  While I was in graduate school, I read a book entitled “Women’s Work.”  It chronicles a global and historical narrative about the jobs and chores women have adopted as their own.  It suggests a formation of a gendered identity and an establishment of roles.  So in putting this exhibition together, I thought I would look at artists who are dealing with the idea of chores.  I think that as a society, chores have evolved and changed which also indicates a shift about how gender can be considered.  Included in this show is work that: questions familial and gender relationships; suggests emotional serenity in domestic habit; and re-evaluates the mundane.

It’s all pretty sweet so be sure not to miss it.  I’m still confirming the last of our artists for this show so I will list the fabulous roster with links as soon as it’s tied up!  Check back soon!