ExhibitsUSA Photography Exhibition, Voices of American Farm Women, Opens in Moberly, Missouri

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 8, 2004
Contact: Sarah McGreer
sarah@maaa.org

ExhibitsUSA Photography Exhibition,
Voices of American Farm Women, Opens in Moberly, Missouri

Voices of American Farm Women, an exhibition of photography and oral history interviews conducted by photographer Cynthia Vagnetti, opens on Sept. 13, 2004, at the Moberly Area Council on the Arts, in Moberly, Missouri.

The 30 striking black-and-white photographs included in this exhibition explore a diverse group of women and their relationship to the land, providing a dynamic contemporary perspective on women in agriculture. Vagnetti has documented women from across the United States whose alternative farming techniques promote environmental responsibility, economic stability, and community well-being. Excerpts of oral history interviews conducted with the subjects of Vagnetti's work narrate a multifaceted view of work, family, and community. Strong opinions on many topics—including farm work, childcare, and housework—dispel misconceptions about farm women.

Voices of American Farm Women is part of a larger documentary project conducted by Vagnetti, who has a long-standing commitment to sustainable agriculture, rural communities, and related issues. She has produced numerous multimedia projects and photography exhibitions, and she is co-author of People Sustaining the Land. Her work in the past decade is inspired by the work of Farm Security Administration photographers, most notably Dorothea Lange and Russell Lee.

Voices of American Farm Women is curated by Janet Dykema, director of public programs at the Chippewa Valley Museum in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The exhibition is organized and toured under the auspices of ExhibitsUSA. Following its installation in Moberly, Missouri, Voices of American Farm Women will be seen across the nation at more than fifteen other venues.

The purpose of ExhibitsUSA is to create access to an array of arts and humanities exhibitions, nurture the development and understanding of diverse art forms and cultures, and encourage the expanding depth and breadth of cultural life in local communities. ExhibitsUSA is a national division of Mid-America Arts Alliance, a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1972.

Voices of American Farm Women
Touring September 2004 through April 2006

Sept. 13, 2004—Oct. 5, 2004
Moberly Area Council on the Arts
Moberly, Missouri

Oct. 21, 2004—Nov. 30, 2004
Museum of Seminole County History
Sanford, Florida

Dec. 15, 2004—Jan. 19, 2005
Garland County Library
Hot Springs, Arkansas

Feb. 3, 2005—Mar. 10, 2005
Mesquite Arts Council
Mesquite, Texas

Mar. 25, 2005—Apr. 30, 2005
Tulsa Community College SE Campus
Tulsa, Oklahoma

May 15, 2005—June 20, 2005
Louisiana State University
Shreveport, Louisiana

Sept. 1, 2005—Oct. 5, 2005
Texarkana Regional Arts & Humanities Council
Texarkana, Texas

Oct. 21, 2005—Nov. 30, 2005
Stauth Memorial
Montezuma, Kansas

Dec. 15, 2005—Mar. 10, 2006
Arlington Heights Historical Society
Arlington Heights, Illinois

Feb. 03, 2007—June 22, 2007
Michigan State University Museum
East Lansing, Michigan