WSRC fall exhibition, ‘No Man’s Land,’ will explore culture of ‘purely women’ in Oaxaca, Mexico

'Firewood' by Dana Romanoff

“No Man’s Land: The Women of Mexico”
by Dana Romanoff
Sept. 20 – Dec. 16, 2010
Kniznick Gallery
Brandeis University

This fall, the Kniznick Gallery at Brandeis University’s Women’s Studies Research Center will join the timely discussion about immigration with an exhibition of color photographs titled “No Man’s Land: The Women of Mexico” by photojournalist Dana Romanoff.

The series of photos explores the changing role of women left behind in rural towns of Oaxaca, Mexico, after their husbands and sons travel to the United States in search of work. Traditionally, the woman’s role was in the home, performing domestic chores and caring for the children. With their husbands and sons away, the women are now in charge of their families and finances. Despite their husbands’ optimism, some men never return and leave the women as the sole breadwinners for their households. And thus, machismo is giving way to a new structure the women call “pura mujer” — purely women.

Dana Romanoff combines her passion for photography, cultural studies, social issues and multimedia to produce intimate and compelling stories of “pura mujer.” Dana’s work as a freelance photographer and multimedia producer has appeared in numerous magazines, newspapers and anthologies. She has exhibited in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Charlottesville and Fort Collins and was part of a Charlotte Observer team that became a 2008 Pulitzer Prize Gold Medal Finalist. Dana Romanoff’s documentary video, “No Man’s Land: The Women of Mexico,” was short-listed for the 2010 Anthropographia Multimedia & Human Rights Award and is currently being screened at film festivals around the globe. You can view more of Romanoff's work on her website.

Dana holds a B.A. in cultural studies/anthropology from the University of Rochester and an M.A. in photojournalism and visual communication from Ohio University. Raised in upstate New York and based in Boulder, Colo., Dana is an avid outdoor adventurer who has lived and worked around the U.S., South and Central America and West Africa.

Related Events

Opening Reception
Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010, 5 to 7 p.m.

Artist’s Talk and Video Documentary
Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010, 12:30 p.m.

Romanoff will offer an historical context of immigration between Mexico and the U.S. along with a slideshow of her photographs, followed by a 16-minute documentary that highlights the voices and stories of the women featured in “No Man’s Land: The Women of Mexico.”   This program will also be presented at Lasell College on Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 12:30 p.m.

Immigration Reform Panel
Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010, 7 p.m.

Policy expert Alexandra Pineros Shields, attorney Steve Gutherz and artist Dana Romanoff will discuss current immigration issues and offer suggestions for reform.

Kniznick Gallery Information

Women’s Studies Research Center
515 South Street, Waltham, MA (across from Brandeis/Roberts commuter rail stop)
781-736-8102
wsrc-arts@brandeis.edu
Hours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and by appointment
Free and open to the public

About the Women’s Studies Research Center

The Women’s Studies Research Center (WSRC) is a place where research, art and activism converge. Bringing together scholars, students and artists, the WSRC is a community that thrives on the sharing of knowledge and ideas. The WSRC is home to the Kniznick Gallery, which is committed to feminist exhibitions of artistic excellence that reflect the activities of the Women’s Studies Research Center Scholars and engage communities within and beyond Brandeis University.