The online exhibition “Tales by the Unseen” features the works of astounding artists Shefon N. Taylor and Ola Rondiak. These artists explore the female portrait through various media and tell narratives of the past.

Women’s narratives have historically been unheard and their tellers unseen. Taylor and Rondiak’s portraits highlight the strife of previous generations and the history of the systemic “blinding” of women. Despite their eyes either being closed or removed altogether, the women in these portraits tell a story of their identity through their other features and having been blinded. The women have small smiles, fine lines, and aspects of their personalities interwoven into each piece. Our mothers and grandmothers were expected to ignore this inequitable treatment and keep their eyes closed to a world that worked actively against them. We, the children of these generations, can see these women's tales and speak for those who have been silenced in their time. Their stories are told through contemporary works like Taylor’s and Rondiak’s.

“Tales by the Unseen” reminds viewers of the historical erasure of women's perspectives. It prompts viewers to recognize gaps in their own knowledge and strive to help tell the stories of those previously silenced, thus reclaiming their lost agency.

Curatorial Statement by
Phoebe Caswell