The three painted women loom from above on each side of the exhibit, capturing attention with their large scale and dramatic expressions. Each is slightly different from the other in their stance, expression and ambiance which come together to tell a story of history, defiance, womanhood and idolization. Local artist and University of Oregon alumni M. V. Moran explores her personal muse and curiosites in her exhibit “The Three Ladies.”
“To show the isolation and the coldness of being alone each woman is appearing in her own panel,” Moran said. “They’re separate from each other but they’re also trying so desperately to connect in some way.”
All nine paintings of the same three women are stretched across the Adell McMillan Gallery in the Erb Memorial Union, bringing the stark white walls to life. The women of this exhibit are Disheartened, Discouraged and Dispirited. Clad in 1950s style swimsuits, they each have their dark hair tied up into neat buns as they float amongst a sea of abstract bubbles.
The complex multi-media portraits are composed of a myriad of materials including charcoal, wax pencil, acrylic paint and graphite on gesso spanning across large panels and sheets of paper. The pieces were initially developed for a show in Maude Kerns Art Center that debuted early last year.
It was the art center’s history that actually inspired the idea behind these complex pieces. Moran was captivated by the appearance of the outside of the Maude Kerns Art Center building because of its distinct church-like features. She discovered that it was in fact once Fairmont Presbyterian, a church that mysteriously disbanded in the 1950’s. Moran was also inspired by the placement of women over the age of 50 in society.
“You’re not child bearing, you’re not sexually desired in the media or in movies and you’re not a cute old lady. You’re so many nots,” Moran said. “It’s this idea of being invisible and seen and unseen.”
Moran was also captivated by the idea of idols within religion and especially within a protestant church. Through combining all of these ideologies, she developed a storyline behind each of her three subjects. They all display an emotion akin to disappointment which translates perfectly in their stance.
“I think there’s a lot culturally that tells us all and puts pressure on us to be a certain way or smile. That whole concept of telling somebody to smile especially those who identify as women in our culture,” Suzanne Hanlon, advisor of the UO Visual Arts Committee, said. “I think it just kind of pushes back against that.”
Moran used herself as the model and muse to create the pieces. Through photographs of herself in swimsuits, Moran was able to develop her initial sketches and proportions for the final pieces. While each piece is incredibly unique, there is still a sense of symmetry, because they solely feature the same three ladies in different formats.
Some of the pieces are on paper hung up on the wall, though three panel pieces stand on the floor, leaning up against the wall and putting them level with the viewer. Each woman is posed differently with Discouraged facing forward, Dispirited positioned forward gazing to the left and Disheartened with her back to the viewer looking to the right. They all have detailed yet abstract backgrounds which has voided them of placement in time or place.
“The ones that are leaned up against the wall, you kind of feel like you’re standing next to the women, and so I think you really feel their presence,” said Lily James, the social media coordinator for the UO Visual Arts Committee. “Just being able to get really close and seeing all of the details of the graphic circles and lines that make up the shapes in the paintings is really beautiful.”
The exhibit was viewable in person with UO ID through Feb. 11 though images of the exhibit and an artist talk with Moran are available on the UO Visual Arts Facebook and Instagram pages as well as on Moran’s website, Facebook and Instagram.
