Exhibition: Rachel Schneider, “Stronger Than You Think”

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio--- April 1, 2008 - The Notre Dame Art Department is pleased to present “Stronger Than You Think“ a show of recent work by senior Studio Art major Rachel Schneider.  “Stronger Than You Think“ explores the concept of women as fragile yet strong, emphasizing the issue of domestic violence, with a series of dress sculptures created with clay, paper, and cloth. 

Clay is usually considered to have a certain degree of strength but when it is broken it becomes unusable.  The striking thing about the work is that even when broken, the form may be weakened, but can still stand and be whole. Paper and cloth are usually considered to be too weak and unstructured to stand up on their own.  With the help of adhesives, each maintains its thin, translucent quality, but also gains the ability to be strong. When presented without the human form, the dress takes on the role of skin, and the visual traces of the acts of cutting, punching holes into and stitching the pieces back together seems borderline violent.  

“Aside from the aesthetic qualities, I want viewers to examine the subtle similarities and differences between each of the dresses.  I want viewers to be drawn to the outside, inside, textures and light of each piece as well as the progression of emotions and roles women portray throughout the series.”

Schneider has also exhibited artwork in the Notre Dame College All-Student Art Show, and received the Ceramics Award in 2007.  She will graduate from Notre Dame College with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Studio Art in May.