Wonder: A Conversation with Wimmin

Root Division is proud to present Wonder: A Conversation with Wimmin, guest curated by Craig Campbell, this June in our gallery. Celebrating  women’s effort in the underground comic movement, this exhibition features original contributing artists to Wimmin’s Comix, (1972 to 1992) alongside contemporary female artists whose work aesthetically and conceptually reflects the unabashed styles of Wimmin’s Comix .

Less than a year after the summer of love, comics found a voice in the Bay Area that reflected a new generation of social unrest and sharply contrasted mainstream comic publishers like DC and Marvel. These comics became a voice for the voiceless, providing an accessible and affordable platform for artists and readers to engage with contemporary issues. In 1970, Trina Robbins captured  a voice representing the realities of being a woman in America, by spearheading It Ain’t Me, Babe, the first all-female comics anthology.  Using advertising aesthetics and comic book tropes to parody the absurd American ideals and fantasies projected onto women, Robbins would continue to create visibility and social commentary with what would become the prolific twenty year series, Wimmen’s Comix. (later renamed Wimmin’s Comix)

The influence of Wimmin’s Comix extends beyond medium, beyond industry and beyond gender, contributing an aesthetic language that continues to permeate contemporary comics, fine art, and visual culture. As the voices of women continue to rise in the face of increased  political pressure,  this timely exhibition celebrates female artists and the power of independent publishing to raise important social  issues.

Wonder: A Conversation with Wimmin  is free, open to the public, and includes a Creative Station - all ages art activities hosted in our classroom during the 2nd Saturday opening reception. This month’s Creative Station is co-hosted by the Cartoon Art Museum.