“Excellence is not just the purview of men,” Komal Shah said. “I want viewers to be excited and energized and really come away with this belief that women are equally capable of incredible art and achievements.”
This fall, Washington University in St. Louis’ Kemper Art Museum is presenting “Making Their Mark: Works From the Shah Garg Collection.” Spanning nearly eight decades and featuring nearly 70 artists, the survey places works by renowned figures such as Howardena Pindell, Joan Mitchell and Jaune Quick-to-see Smith in dialogue with contemporary practitioners such as Katharina Grosse, Lorna Simpson, Sarah Sze and Mary Weatherford.
In this video, Shah, who established the collection with her husband, alumnus Gaurav Garg (BS ’88, MS ’90), discusses the WashU installation, what draws her to particular artists and the importance of representation.
“It really is about celebrating all of those women who should have been celebrated,” Shah says, “but also realizing that we are all capable of excellence, regardless of gender.”
“Making Their Mark” remains on view at the Kemper Art Museum through Jan. 5. For more information, visit the Kemper Art Museum website.
