The “Nature of the Beast” exhibition features an all-woman lineup of artists including Rachel Vawter, Anya Spinazzola, Yolanda Aldridge, Kandace Cox and Nicole Mix.
Rachel Vawter, lead artist for “Nature of the Beast” said the show speaks on matters of emotional abuse, narcissism and how women have journeyed toward healing as a result of traumatic relationships.
“It was something that had happened to me several years ago, where I had the misfortune of being tangled up with a narcissist. There’s really no other way to put it,” Vawter said.
She said it’s important not to shame victims, because they already carry “a deep-seated sense of shame.”
“Painting emotional abuse is very difficult, because there are no bruises. There’s no physical or outward sign of what could possibly be wrong, so I really wanted to focus on how that might look for the victim, and also, as the victim is drained, the narcissist becomes more public, and more noticeable,” she said.
One common question victims ask is “Why didn’t I see this coming?” They also make excuses for abnormal behavior.
“I started out with two paintings. One depicts the narcissist looking in the mirror, and the demon looking back. The second painting is of a woman, who has defeated the narcissist, and it went from there,” Vawter said.
Vawter, who will have 15 pieces in the exhibition, considers herself as a self-taught artist. He grandfather was a professor of art at a university in Michigan. Vawter is married. She and her husband, Michael, have three teenagers. The family resides in Lindenwald.
Supporting abuse victims
Part of the proceeds from the show will go to charities dealing with issues of abuse, including Women Helping Women and YWCA.
“My work seeks to highlight how emotional abuse and manipulation affect victims. The love bombing, the sense of something being off but not knowing what, the sense of being in a fog, confused and isolated, and finally, discarded. Just as we would note the characteristics of predators in the wild, in order to either avoid or defend ourselves, it is also important to see the red flags of human predators,” she said.
“Emotional and narcissistic abuse are also found alongside other forms of abuse, including domestic and sexual abuse. While all of these are distinctly different, they also overlap. I hope that my work allows former victims and those currently struggling to make sense of what they are going through to heed the warning signs,” Vawter said.
She said all of the artists featured in the exhibition have their own stories to share.
“There’s an amazing line-up of women featured in this exhibition,” Vawter said.
MORE DETAILS
The Main Event (with complimentary wine) will be at The Strauss Gallery 6-9 p.m. Feb. 20. Drinks from Ciao Vino Wine Bar next door will also be available for purchase.
“The Strauss Gallery is always looking for new voices and trying to elevate voices that are not always heard from in the larger community. We focus a lot on showcasing art from artists whose stories may not otherwise be told. So, a show that talks about abuse, narcissism, living with that impending danger, and then, recovering from that. That is a very common thing, especially for women,” said Jay Kidd, manager of The Strauss Gallery at Artspace.
“These stories aren’t talked about, and at The Strauss, we really make the effort to highlight these voices, elevate these stories and make people think,” they said. “Sometimes, that means we’re doing something cool and fun, and at other times, it’s going to be more serious like this one.”
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