Women Made and Remade / 她，经由我

As a woman of Mongolian heritage from China and a student studying at Vassar College, I find myself at the crossroads of vibrant yet contrasting cultures. Born and raised in the bustling city of Beijing, I was immersed in diverse cultural exchanges. Influenced by my parents, I hold a profound pride in my Mongolian heritage. Moving to the U.S. and engaging with the academic community at Vassar has broadened my perspectives on not only myself but also the world around me. My journey of self-discovery began in an introductory Art History class, where I was struck by the realization of how Western-centric narratives often overshadow diverse cultural expressions. This pivotal moment inspired me to explore the art and stories from other cultures more intentionally. An Islamic art class opened my eyes to the depth and beauty of a culture often misrepresented by mainstream media, reshaping my previous perceptions.

My engagement with my own identity was further shaped in those art history classes I took. In one of my contemporary art history classes, I had the chance to learn the powerful works of feminist artists like Nancy Spero, Adrian Piper, and Carolee Schneemann. I recall the strong impact I felt viewing Carolee Schneemann’s "Interior Scroll(1975)" photographs. These artists’ work revealed the strength and resilience of women, prompting me to challenge my initial discomfort with "feminism", a term I had never fully explored before leaving China.

Studying abroad also exposed me to a wider range of discussions on gender, ethnicity, and culture, conversations that rarely appeared in the online spaces I grew up with. These gaps made me reflect on how certain issues, voices, and identities can become underrepresented or quietly overlooked, especially those connected to minority languages, cultural inheritance, and women’s experiences. Such realizations urged me to think more about how identities are shaped not only by personal experience but also by differing information environments.

As both a woman and a member of the Mongolian ethnic minority, I have felt these questions intimately. However, I found discord between the feminist idea that I now deeply support for women’s values and my Mongolian roots. A moment that remains vivid was a conversation with my mother about womanhood within the Mongolian cultural context. She spoke of respect and reverence for motherhood, but my own observations and family stories unveiled more complicated realities.

I recall stories of my grandmother, a woman of formidable strength who bore children until a son could carry on the family name. An uncle’s words, suggesting a woman’s place is supposedly to be in the domestic sphere, further deepened this rift in my understanding. Such moments have ignited a quest within me, a quest to reconcile these disparities, to weave together the threads of my identity as a Mongolian woman and a feminist.

This exhibition is therefore far more than a display of my artworks; it is a narrative of my journey and an invitation for deeper awareness. Inspired by the feminist movements of the 1970s that profoundly influenced me, I aim to highlight issues that feel especially resonant in contemporary society—questions of gender, representation, culture, and the silences that shape them. Through this exhibition, I hope to honor the resilience and beauty of Mongolian women, exploring these themes through the dual lens of my identity.

Tala

作为一个来自中国的蒙古女性和一个在Vassar College学习的学生，我常常感到自己处在多元而矛盾的文化交汇中。父母的影响使我一直对自己的蒙古身份有着一种的自豪感。后来我来到美国，进入瓦萨学院，与来自不同背景的同学和学者交流，这段经历不仅重新塑造了我对自我的理解，也打开了我观察世界的方式。 我的自我探索开始于一门艺术史导论课。通过那节课，我第一次真正的意识到，西方中心的叙事如何轻易的遮蔽了其他文化的声音。这种震撼促使我开始主动寻找那些被忽略的故事。伊斯兰艺术史课让我看到一个常被误读的文化所蕴含的丰富与深度，也彻底改变了我过去的认知。

随着艺术史学习的深入，我与自身身份的关系也开始发生变化。在当代艺术史课堂上，我第一次接触到 Nancy Spero、Adrian Piper、Carolee Schneemann 等女性主义艺术家的作品。看到 Schneemann 的Interior Scroll（1975）时，我感受到了一种无法忘却的震撼。这些艺术家的创作展示了女性的力量与韧性，也使我重新审视自己曾经对“女性主义”一词的迟疑——一个我在离开中国之前几乎没有机会认真接触的概念。

在外求学的过程中，我也接触到更多的关于性别、族群与文化的讨论。这些主题在我成长的网络环境中很少出现，而这些缺席本身也让我意识到：有些身份与经验往往被忽视——尤其是与少数民族语言、文化传承与女性经历相关的部分。这些体悟让我开始思考，身份如何同时被个人经历和我们所接触的信息世界所塑造。

作为一名蒙古族女性，我对这些问题有着格外真切的感受。我还记得和母亲交流中她谈到蒙古文化对母亲角色的敬重，但从家庭故事里我看到的却是更复杂、更矛盾的现实。我的姥姥为了生出一个能够延续家族姓氏的儿子而不断生育。我的姨夫曾经劝导我找一个轻松的工作，因为女人不需要那么拼。我意识到我对“身为蒙古女性”的理解与我所认同的女性主义价值观之间有一道缝隙。这些片段逐渐在我心中积累使我开始寻找一种方式，在两种身份之间编织出一种新的连结。

因此，这次展览对我而言不仅是艺术作品的呈现，更是一段自我叙事与邀请——邀请观众去倾听、去思考那些常被忽略的声音。受到20世纪70年代女性主义艺术运动的启发，我希望借此展览聚焦在当代依然深具力量的问题：性别如何被建构、身份如何被呈现、文化如何被讲述，以及沉默如何塑造我们所看到的一切。通过这次展览，我希望以自己作为蒙古女性与女性主义者的双重视角，去呈现蒙古女性所具有的韧性、美丽与复杂性。

塔拉