By Genie Davis The San Diego-based Feminist Image Group, known as FIG, presents two key exhibitions in LA this month. Women Work Together at Shoebox Projects, and a sister project, DUETS, at
the Los Angeles Art Association, both through March 30th. The exhibitions – and FIG members themselves – demonstrate collective creativity and intimate collaborations.
FIG was founded in 2009 by artist and educator Anna Stump. She relates that the catalyst for starting FIG was an observation she made during graduate school at San Diego State University. “I felt the female students did not seem to network like the guys did. That may have been because we had family responsibilities, or it may have been the culture of the school. But I wanted to create a space for women to support each other. I had an empty house for a week and thought, let's invite a few women to have a pop-up show on the blank walls. It went so well that we did it again a few months later, in a real estate office. Then we began to have irregular meetings in my studio in North Park.”
Today, she sees her role at FIG being one of “an unofficial advisor and member of FIG. With each successive leader, FIG changes. I'm fine with that. You create the child and send them out into the world,” she says.
For Stump, the most rewarding aspect of FIG is a supportive one. “Women organize, collaborate, curate, and produce, but many of us need extra encouragement to do so in the art world. Sexism still exists, but if we support each other in our pursuits, we can do battle with it. I love all the strong, creative women in FIG, and hope the organization continues for many years to come.”
Elizabeth Tobias is co-curator of Women Work Together. She attests that being a part of FIG “offers a powerful opportunity to collaborate with a dynamic community of artists dedicated to creative dialogue and social change. FIG cultivates an environment where feminist perspectives are not only celebrated but actively explored through visual storytelling.”
She adds that “Feminism is more critical than ever, and my personal values align deeply with FIG’s mission. There is undeniable strength in an art collective—many voices coming together with shared beliefs in equity, bodily autonomy, ending sexual violence, and fostering more empowered, multidimensional representations of women in media. The fight for gender rights, sexual freedom, equality, and civil liberties is too great to take on alone. The more we unite, the louder and more impactful our voices become.”
Explaining that FIG is more than a collective, she says that it serves as a community of “visionary artists deeply committed to social change.”
The group was recently recognized for their impact on the “artistic and cultural landscape” of their community, with February 28th declared Feminist Image Group Day in San Diego. Tobias terms the honor “a beautiful reminder of the power of art in shaping a more equitable and just world.”
Neither FIG nor Tobias are resting on their laurels, however. When their two Los Angeles exhibitions close, more is ahead, including a new iteration of a previous exhibition, Don’t Shut Up, which will, according to Tobias, “keep amplifying women’s voices and tackling important issues around gender, identity, and social justice. It’s all about giving artists the space to speak out, resist being silenced, and challenge the status quo through their art.”
Additionally, FIG is working with the San Diego Public Library on a project centered on the right to read. “FIG artists are creating powerful pieces in the form of books, which will be
displayed throughout the library. This project highlights the importance of access to knowledge, freedom of expression, and the power of literature in shaping our world,” she stresses.
The group’s current exhibition at Shoebox coincides with Women’s History Month. “The theme Women Work Together was inspired by Shoebox’s Call and Response project during
COVID and LAAA’s Versus, both centered on artistic collaboration. I wanted to deepen the
meaning of the theme as a response to the divisiveness of our current moment.”
Women Work Together first debuted in San Diego last year at Mandell Weiss Gallery, a
community space, which Tobias curated. For the new exhibition in LA, “The Shoebox Collective’s vision of connection made this theme a natural fit for our vision. Kristine [Schomaker, Shoebox founder] is pretty much an honorary member of FIG,” Tobias explains.
Choosing pairs to work together for the show was “a thoughtful, almost alchemical process, ensuring that everyone was included, and no participant was left without a partner,” she says. She sought “creative synergy” among the artists, none of whom had previously collaborated. “The goal was to foster experimentation and discovery, encouraging the artists to push boundaries and explore new possibilities.”
As curator, she notes that one of the most significant revelations that arose from the exhibition came from hearing the artists share that the “most meaningful part of the process was the time spent connecting before the artmaking began. They truly enjoyed getting to know each other, and it was through these conversations that unexpected insights emerged.” The process reinforced the essence of Tobias’ work, “creating social experiments with the very real potential for failure. I had no idea how the collaboration would unfold or what kind of work would emerge, so seeing it come together was truly amazing,” she says. She adds that “Collaboration naturally led to unexpected narratives and deeper layers of meaning in the work.”
Tobias cites a powerful example titled “Uncomfortable Spaces” which she says focused on the childhood experiences of the four contributing artists, none of whom felt home was comfortable or safe growing up.
Although the themes and works will change, she describes the conversation sparked by Women Work Together as resonating beyond a single location, as part of what she calls “an evolving and ongoing conversation that we’re excited to keep growing.”
Stacie Birky-Greene is the director of FIG as well as one of the artists paired in the Shoebox exhibition. She joined FIG in 2015 and finds it “inspiring to be a part of a cohort of extremely smart, talented, and strong women. I feel like I’m constantly learning from and being inspired by them.” She enjoys the ongoing “discussions, sharing of ideas and support from the group,” as well as the fact that the high quality of the artists leads to strong exhibitions.
Beyond the current LA exhibitions, like Tobias, Birky-Greene is looking forward to the upcoming exhibition at the downtown San Diego Library, which will open June 7th. The Right to Read is a deeply important exhibition, particularly now, she notes, due to “The surge in book bans, described by PEN America as ‘unprecedented,’ during the latter half of 2023 [which] has thrust the issue of censorship into the spotlight. These bans not only limit access to diverse perspectives but also stifle creativity and critical thinking skills, underscoring the urgent need for a nuanced understanding of the complexities surrounding censorship in today's society.”
In short, censorship itself strikes at the heart of democracy and freedom, threatening it. “Libraries don't just hold stories; they empower people by giving them access to different perspectives and voices. They're more than just buildings; they're gateways to liberation and power.” FIG serves as its own such gateway.
The Women Work Together exhibition features a variety of media, including painting, textile, photography, and sculpture, all united by a common theme: the power of women’s collaboration to envision and build a better future. Certainly Birky-Greene, Tobias, and Stump beautifully encompass that power.
The exhibition will hold a closing reception with potluck brunch Sunday March 30th from 12-2pm at Shoebox, located at 660 S Ave 21 #3 LA CA 90031 at The Brewery in Lincoln Heights.
