Revolution Now – International Women’s Day Panel Discussion

Minneapolis – Sunday, March 8th, 2015, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. – As part of the exhibition, “Revolution Now: Portraits of Contemporary Female Revolutionaries,” curators Ash Marlene Hane & Angela Sprunger lead a discussion with Robyne Robinson, Drew Peterson, and Joan Vorderbruggen on International Women’s Day.

How are women changing the world today and what role does art play in it? What does modern feminism really mean, here in America and globally, and how do we define its revolutionaries? The three panelists are set to explore these questions and expand on how we can cultivate radical energy within the art world. Each guest brings to the table personal experience and creative innovation, their vision at the intersection of art and change-making.

For this event, Gamut Gallery welcomes an intimate and political discussion on how we can (in the words of Maya Angelo) “raise our connective voices, wield our power, influence and combat insecurity in every corner of the world.”

 Robyne Robinson started her career as one of the first African-Americans to anchor a prime-time newscast and quickly became an icon of Twin Cities broadcasting. Her 20 years on air have been filled with numerous honors including the Upper Midwest Emmy for Best Anchor. Robyne has engaged in an active civic life, becoming a Hubert H. Humphrey Public Policy Fellow at the University of Minnesota, as well as sitting on numerous boards and non-profit agencies including A Better Chance Foundation of Eden Prairie and the Lupus Foundation of Minnesota. All the while she has been a steadfast supporter of the arts, playing integral roles in numerous arts organizations and serving on the board of the Walker Arts Center. Her curatorial skills, personal art collection, and her own artwork have been widely celebrated and exhibited. She is also the creator and designer of Rox Minneapolis Jewelry, featured on the Tyra Banks Show and in local and national fashion and lifestyle publications such as Nylon and Mpls-St.Paul Magazine. Now Arts and Culture Director of the Airport Foundation, Robyne is in charge of creating an interactive, cultural experience for travelers and Minnesotans through art and technology at the nation’s 16th busiest airport.

Drew Peterson is a Twin Cities based multi-disciplinary artist whose studio practice incorporates a wide variety printmaking techniques. Upon completing his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2013, Drew has returned to Minneapolis to pursue his career as both artist and teacher. His work has been shown in a recent solo exhibition at The Burnet Gallery in Minneapolis and in a group exhibition at Fernwey Gallery in Chicago. Peterson is an adjunct faculty member in the University of Minnesota’s printmaking department, the lead instructor at Juxtaposition Arts VALT program, and a 2014-15 Jerome resident at Highpoint Center for Printmaking.

Joan Vorderbruggen is the Cultural District Arts Coordinator for Hennepin Theatre Trust. An artist and organizer, Joan envisions possibilities for the most dejected spaces, transforming vacant storefronts into showcases of MN based creativity. In 2012, she developed and implemented the multiple award winning project, “Artists in Storefronts”, pairing more than 150 artists from 5 to 80 years old to create exhibits of original work in vacant and under-utilized commercial storefronts. In addition to creating a temporary, pop-up urban walking gallery, her project commissioned six permanent murals, hosted dozens of community events, tours, festivals, and over 50 live performances in alternative spaces. In just eight months of participation, eight properties with a combined vacancy of more than 20 years acquired short-and long-term lease agreements. She currently serves as the Cultural District Arts Coordinator for Hennepin Theatre Trust activating the downtown Minneapolis Cultural District with the project Made Here. Joan continues to be a visionary source of creative urban revitalization that connects and celebrates diverse cultural landscape.

EVENT DETAILS
International Women’s Day Panel Discussion
feat. Joan Vorderbruggen, Drew Peterson, and Robyne Robinson
facilitated by Ash Marlene Hane and Angela Sprunger
Sunday, March 8th, 2015
3PM / FREE