Art Show Asks, 'If Women Ruled the World' in Jamesport

William Ris Gallery in Jamesport is launching a new exhibition exploring the impact and perspective of females on the planet and the culture through art. On view May 3–June 1, with an opening reception on Saturday, May 3 from 4–7 p.m., If Women Ruled the World showcases work by 12 contemporary women artists looking at and challenging notions of power, identity and cultural legacy in the world today.

The featured artists cover a wide range of countries and cultures, offering worldly voices to the show with participants originally from Argentina, Catalonia, Croatia, Greece, India, Lithuania, Pakistan, Scotland, Ukraine and Uruguay. Each artist now lives and works in the United States — some locally — and brings a fresh point of view from her individual heritage, story and country.

Featured artists, who work in a variety of media, are Isadora Capraro, Anahi DeCanio, Angels Grau, Anna Jurinich, Vaidehi Kinkhabwala, Yelena Lezhen, Kenna Mackay, Yevgenia Nayberg, Neelam Padte, Tina Psoinos, Roohi Saleem, and Rasa Valiene.

Their works on display include paintings, sculpture and mixed media examining themes of femininity, strength, cultural identity and global unity — all from the perspective of women. While celebrating their creativity, imagination and technique, the show also asks viewers to imagine a world molded by female strength, leadership, endurance and drive to prevail.

William Ris Gallery owner Mary Cantone explains that she conceived the show during a sleepless night in February as she looked at a quickly changing global landscape and thought, “If women ruled the world…” and imagined how things might be different. “That’s what I thought, and that became the title. And then I thought, ‘Okay, I have probably about seven or eight artists who I deal with and who I know, and who I represent, who are from countries around the world already. … I’ll find four others, and I’m going to have a show called If Women Ruled the World with 12 artists from countries around the globe.”

With this in mind, Cantone approached the artists and was pleased that they were all thrilled to be a part of it. “Every single artist I reached out to without hesitation, jumped at the opportunity,” she says, noting how nice it was to have them want to work with the gallery. “It’s going to be a fabulous show.”

“She wanted to show women who were born somewhere else, besides the United States — we are from another country,” explains Wading River painter Anna Jurinich, who is in the exhibition and originally hails from Croatia. “So they’re wonderful. We’re all doing really different things,” she adds. “You know, we all come from other parts of the world. … I feel that wherever you’re born, that everything else is based on that. If you leave that place, and even if you’re 5 years old or 10 years old or 15, the place where you were born, your first place, you bring that with you. And then wherever you go, you add onto that base,” she continues. “I’m from Croatia, so the sea is very different. And I measure everyone to that sea, the Adriatic, which, to me, is the most beautiful,” Jurinich says, pointing out that even people’s sense of humor is deeply affected by their country of origin, and that’s what makes the array of women in this show and their work so special.

“I wanted to do something current, that is timely,” Cantone says. “I felt it was a wonderful time to emphasize how beneficial it was to have women rule the world,” she adds, explaining that all the artists involved are strong women and several are staunch feminists, like her mother.

“These are all words that I use when I think about and I describe my mom, who founded the gallery. She was a visionary. She was a feminist in the ’50s. So I’m drawn to that kind of person,” Cantone says.

Since her mother founded it in 1966, Cantone says William Ris Gallery has maintained a strong commitment to contemporary art and to showcasing thought-provoking, artistic voices who spark conversation and push boundaries. And, she points out, If Women Ruled the World continues this legacy, offering a platform for dynamic and visionary artists whose work resonates beyond the gallery walls.

William Ris Gallery is located at 1291 Main Road in Jamesport on the North Fork. Call 609-408-5203 or visit williamris.com