Troy Gua, Ildiko Kalapacs, Shannon Kallsen and Mira Kamada explore identity, culture and society’s expectations of women in ArtsWest’s new exhibit, The Feminine Myth.

Admission is free from Noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday March 8 through April 4.

The exhibition was curated specifically to complement the stage production of "The History Boys," which ran Jan. 21 through Feb. 15.

In "The History Boys" we get a lot of male perspectives, so I wanted the gallery exhibit to serve as a counterbalance,” said Gallery Director Nichole DeMent. “In The Feminine Myth the viewer will find themselves surrounded by female perspectives and female forms.”

Troy Gua, (recently profiled in City Arts) challenges the cliché that’s rampant within the current media: the exploitation of the female form.  Gua’s hand-cut paper, glass and wood blocks of the female form include sensual materials such as velvet and vinyl to make a statement on the exaggerated associations of larger than life women and their iconic parts. 

Ildiko Kalapacs is a Hungarian-American artist who has exhibited internationally.  Her delicate bronze and mixed media sculptures of figures include doilies, candy dishes, crosses and guns to explore cultural identity and tackle the issues of self-worth while referring to the expectations society requires of women. 

Shannon Kallsen’s enigmatic photographs of female mannequins in windows reflect the beautiful colors of feathered fashionistas selling sexy lingerie, as well as the expectations of women created through consumerism.  

Mira Kamada’s large oil paintings on canvas are part of an ongoing series, Mannequin Paintings.  Stilled figures in subtle palettes of color are composed within the cacophonous lines found in unpredictable urban landscapes.  Her feminine figures draped in ghostly garb embody the fleeting ideas of contemporary culture and fashion. 

A wine and cheese artist reception will be Thursday, March 12 from 6 to 7:30 p.m., at the playhouse and gallery, 4711 California Ave. S.W.