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Women to the Front: Artworks from the Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell Collection

Equal Pay

Free Events:

Opening Reception: Friday, July 11 • 5-8 PM (CT)
Curator Gallery Talk:
Saturday, July 19 • 11:30 AM (CT)


Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell began building their remarkable art collection in the 1990s in Cincinnati, Ohio, where they continue to live and support the arts. Their vision has centered on celebrating and uplifting women, queer artists and artists of color — voices often marginalized in the art world. Through a wide range of media including drawing, painting, photography, mixed media and sculpture, the works in their collection use wit, emotion and fearless critique to challenge and confront dominant cultural norms.

Now comprising over 1,000 works, the Waddells’ collection stands as one of the most significant socially conscious, private art collections in the Midwest.

Women to the Front features more than 70 original works by 59 artists, spanning from the 1970s to today. These pieces explore social and political issues and reflect the Waddells’ commitment to both internationally-acclaimed artists and rising creative voices. Artworks by iconic feminist figures such as Louise Bourgeois, Elizabeth Catlett, Barbara Kruger, Ana Mendieta, Shirin Neshat, Yoko Ono, Carolee Schneemann and Cindy Sherman are presented alongside bold contemporary works by globally-recognized and emerging Midwestern artists.

The exhibition’s title, Women to the Front, pays homage to the Riot Grrrl feminist punk movement, which also started in the 1990s. At Bikini Kill concerts, frontwoman Kathleen Hanna famously shouted, “Girls to the front!” This directive encouraged men and boys to step aside and allowed women and girls to occupy the front of the stage—a rallying cry for women to take up space, be seen, and be heard. This exhibition carries that same spirit, inviting viewers to engage with powerful voices that demand attention, representation, and change.


Artwork Shown: Michele Pred, Time for Equal Pay II, 2022, Mixed media, 18 ¼ x 5 ½ x 16 ½ inches