By Madelyn Gau, OMAHA, Neb. – The University of Nebraska at Omaha is hosting a thought-provoking student curated art exhibition, Experiences in Femininity, which provides a platform for artists to explore themes of gender, identity, and representation. Now in its third year, the exhibit has grown both in scale and significance, offering a deeper interrogation of femininity in contemporary society.
A Platform for Underrepresented Voices
Curated by a team led by Director and Co-Curator Kennedy Wallman, the exhibit seeks to amplify voices that are often marginalized in the art world.
“An exhibition that is solely based around the idea of feminism and womanhood is so important because we know that a lot of feminine voices aren’t fully expressed in the art world, especially at major institutions,” said Wallman. “So area studies, exhibitions like this really allow us to give voices to groups of artists and underrepresented artists that might not necessarily be shown, especially in somewhere as small as Nebraska.”
The exhibit takes an intersectional approach, welcoming submissions from artists of all backgrounds, including women, queer artists, and artists of color.
This Year’s Theme: The Politics of the Body
Each year, the exhibit takes on a unique focus. The 2025 iteration, The Politics of the Body, showcases works that incorporate the human form and engage with political and social themes.
“That title came about as a unanimous decision due to the fact that almost every single work that was accepted this year focuses on the human body,” said Julia Mulloy, collections manager. “There’s a human figure in it, there’s a female figure in it, which having that representation of the female body kind of coincides with the current political climate and really reflects the need for that.”
Expanding Engagement Through Print and Public Access
Beyond the visual installations, this year’s exhibit includes a published collection of creative writing, poetry, and scholarly essays. Funded by a grant, the publication lets us visitors to take the discussion beyond the gallery.
“The publication allows us to take a piece of experiences of femininity home with us because it’s one thing to come and look at the works, but it’s a whole other aspect to allow people to take the exhibition home with them to read through it, to read creative writing, to read scholarship about these same ideas and be able to learn,” said Wallman. “I think that a curator’s job is to make artwork educational for people.”
In another significant expansion, the exhibit is moving beyond campus for the first time, showcasing at a commercial gallery in partnership with Benson First Friday, making it accessible to the broader Omaha community.
A Growing Legacy
What began in 2023 as a small-scale dorm-room exhibition has evolved into a major event on UNO’s arts calendar.
“Over the years, we’ve gained more engagement, programming, and grants to support the show’s expansion,” Wallman noted. “It’s amazing to see how much it has grown.”
With next year’s exhibition already secured, organizers are hopeful that Experiences in Femininity will continue to be a space for dialogue, creativity, and community engagement.
Informational Poster on Featured Art Exhibit (Photo/Experiences in Feminitiy’s Instagram)
Featured Artwork from the Experiences in Femininity Exhibit (Photo/Madelyn Gau)
