Right Here Right Now: Featuring the Work in Progress Mural

September 25 – December 23, 2020

Right Here Right Now
This year marks the 150th anniversary of women’s suffrage in Utah and the 100th anniversary of the19th amendment of our Country’s Constitution.  Because of these momentous and important events, Modern West would like to acknowledge and pay homage to women artists.  The exhibition Right Here Right Now celebrates and acknowledges the significance of these anniversaries by honoring the contributions of the past, while highlighting the voices and expressions of women today. The exhibition will feature the Work in Progress Mural alongside works by 20 contemporary women artists.

The works by the 20 contemporary women artists were curated to highlight work that speaks to the experience of being a woman here and now. All 20 artists either reside in or have ties to Utah. They are Trent Alvey, Christine Baczek, Liberty Blake, Pam Bowman, Sandy Brunvand, Rebecca Campbell, Shalee Cooper, Al Denyer, Stefanie Dykes, Angela Ellsworth, Kiki Gaffney, Jann Haworth, Amy Jorgensen, Lenka Konopasek, Sara Lindsay, Jiyoun Lee-Lodge, Pia Van Nuland, Jean Richardson, Wren Ross and Laura Sharp Wilson.

This important exhibition honors and celebrates the perspectives and contributions—past and present—of women to our cultural society. The Work in Progress Mural encourages you to take note of the women you recognize and acknowledge their contributions while providing the opportunity to discover those that are lesser-known. The 20 contemporary women artists are the voices of today, expressing where we are… Right Here Right Now.

Work in Progress
The Work in Progress mural is a community-based project, driven by artist Jann Haworth and collaged by Liberty Blake. It consists of more than 300 stencil portraits created by more than 250 local and national contributors, most of whom are self-confessed non-artists. The mural features an international crowd of women both historical and contemporary, being recognized as catalysts for change in the arts, sciences, and social activism. Over the last four years, the mural has grown from 28 ft to 60 ft in length. Workshops have been held in several Utah locations, New Orleans, Denver, and San Francisco. The mural has also been produced as a series of banners and over the last three years; it has traveled to over 24 venues, including Austria, England, New York, and San Francisco. It continues to be a ‘work in progress.’