Featuring a new body of work by Ginger Owen-Murakami, Girl’s Own Guide features wet-plate collodion images inspired by The Girl’s Own Book (published 1834) by Lydia Maria Child. An American abolitionist, women's rights activist, opponent of American expansionism, activist for the rights of indigenous people, novelist, and journalist, Lydia Maria Child ranks as America's first published abolitionist writer. The Girl’s Own Book has been reprinted many times over and evidences the generational passing of information. In particular, the book characterizes 19th-century New England childhood and the society that supported it. Owen-Murakami says, “In this book, I found many entertaining activities that were taught to me as a child by the women who raised me. This work amalgamates themes of honoring history, familial nostalgia, and how we educate and socialize children through toys, games, and playtime.”
This work is supported by a WMU Faculty Research and Creative Activities Award.
2023/01/17 - 2023/02/25
Western Michigan University- Richmond Center for Visual Arts
1903 W. Michigan Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49008