Cancer of the uterus and ectopic pregnancy aren’t the typical subjects of works of art, but that didn’t stop Kenyan-born, Brooklyn-based
artist Wangechi Mutu from incorporating them into The Histology of the Different Tumors of the Uterus, her collection of collages based on early 20th century medical illustrations, which will be on display as part of the inaugural exhibition at Drexel’s newly expanded Leonard Pearlstein Gallery from Friday, February 15 through Saturday, March 30.
Using a mélange of materials such as magazine cuttings, paint, charcoal, glitter and found objects, Mutu’s work explores themes ranging from female identity and definitions of beauty, western and traditional cultures, environmental desecration and the history of post-colonial Africa.
The exhibition will feature more than 10 collections of collages, sculptures and installations, including The Histology of the Different Tumors of the Uterus and Suspended Playtime, which explores Kenyan children’s inventive practice of making soccer balls out of bundled and bound garbage bags.
We’ll be hosting an opening celebration and reception at the gallery on Friday, February 22, at 5 p.m. Noted Philadelphia poet Sonia Sanchez will perform new work written to complement Mutu’s art, and acclaimed dancer Tania Isaac, a member of the Drexel Dance faculty, has choreographed a new piece to be performed by members of Drexel Dance Ensemble.
The new Leonard Pearlstein Gallery is located in the URBN Center Annex (3401 Filbert St.) of Drexel’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. The gallery is open to the public Monday-Saturday, 11am-5pm.
