The Carrying Stones Project

As The Art Center Highland Park rounds out a year of focusing on women in our exhibit schedule of highlighting women as curators, jurors, and artists, we introduce nationally recognized curator and artist Sawyer Rose. 

The Carrying Stones Project was conceived by Rose and inspired by her own work exploring the inequity of women’s labor. Her works encourage viewers to confront issues of equity, labor, and community by pairing human faces and stories with the numbers behind them. 

The Carrying Stones Project began in 2016 in San Francisco's Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture with a massive, 20-foot-long data visualization sculpture representing the paid and unpaid labor of 47 women participants. Over the years, artworks from the project have traveled all over the United States to universities, museums, corporate headquarters, and nonprofits. Thousands of visitors to The Carrying Stones Project have learned about their own place in the labor landscape through interactive artworks, participatory events, and public artmaking activities.

Rose’s powerful exhibition inspired TAC to look deeply at phrases such as ‘women’s work’ and advertising taglines like, "You've Come a Long Way, Baby,” by searching for artists in an open call for entry exploring gender stereotypes. The work selected by the guest juror, Rose, calls into question patriarchal societal behaviors with a critical eye, expressing the many interpretations of the phrase ‘women’s work.’ 

TAC is excited to host this exhibit with Rose and add to its impact with performances and appearances during the weekend as we all come together to answer the pressing question: Are we making progress or moving backward on the long road to gender equality?

For more information contact: TAC Curator, Caren Helene Rudman: crudman@theartcenterhp.org or 847-432-1888; Media Manager, Clara Tomaz: media@theartcenterhp.org

The Art Center Highland Park, a not-for-profit organization, is the North Shore’s home for artistic discovery and creative exploration. Through innovative programs, exhibitions, and classes designed for all levels and ages, The Art Center provides a welcoming space for our diverse communities to experience and participate in the arts. The Art Center Highland Park, 1957 Sheridan Rd, Highland Park, IL 60035. Ph: 847.432.1888. www.theartcenterhp.org