A groundbreaking exhibition celebrating 400 years of women artists is currently on display at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo, featuring works spanning from 17th-century Italian Baroque art to contemporary pieces by regional artists. The exhibition, titled "Women Artists: Four Centuries of Creativity," showcases approximately 80 artworks and runs through March 1, 2026, representing a long-overdue recognition of women's contributions to the art world.

The impressive collection ranges from an etching by 17th-century Italian Baroque artist Elisabetta Sirani titled "Holy Family with St. Elizabeth and St. John the Baptist" to contemporary works by Laura Youngbird of Breckenridge, Minnesota, including her 2004 piece "No Face Boy/No Face Girl." The exhibition also features notable works by renowned artists such as Abstract Expressionist Helen Frankenthaler and Impressionist Berthe Morisot, alongside regional talents like Dyani White Hawk of Shakopee and Julie Buffalohead of St. Paul.

"This exhibition is a celebration of women artists who have historically been excluded," explains Danielle Gravon, the museum's chief curator. The Plains Art Museum collaborated with the Reading Public Museum in Pennsylvania to bring this comprehensive showcase to the Midwest, highlighting the ongoing need for greater representation of women artists in major collections and exhibitions.

The inspiration for the exhibition came during Women's History Month in March, when Gravon was reflecting on the impact of the Guerrilla Girls, a national feminist art collective that began in 1985. "They've highlighted inequities in the art world since the 1980s, and it was very formative in my education," Gravon notes. She specifically references their most famous artwork from 1989, "Do Women Have To Be Naked To Get Into the Met. Museum?", which appeared on billboards and buses throughout New York.

This iconic yellow graphic featured one of Western art's most famous female nudes – Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres' 1814 "Grand Odalisque" – altered with the group's signature gorilla mask. The piece boldly stated that "Less than 5 percent of the artists in the Modern Art Sections are women, but 85 percent of the nudes are female." When the Guerrilla Girls updated their research in 2012, the statistics had actually worsened, showing only 4 percent of artists were women while 76 percent of nudes remained female.

Motivated by this ongoing disparity, Gravon conducted her own audit of the Plains Art Museum's collection, with results she describes as "startling." Her research revealed that only about 10 percent of the museum's 6,000 objects were created by women artists. "Our assessment also drove our collection policies to collect more women artists," Gravon explains, noting that this commitment has led to new acquisitions now featured in the exhibition.

Among these recent acquisitions are works by former Minneapolis College of Art and Design faculty members Hazel Belvo and Judith Roode, who passed away in 2018. These additions represent the museum's ongoing effort to address historical gaps in representation and ensure future visitors will encounter a more balanced perspective of artistic achievement across genders.

The exhibition also serves as a unique educational opportunity through a collaboration with Minnesota State University, Moorhead. Assistant professor of art history Noni Brynjolson worked with students in her Women and Art course this fall to conduct original research and write gallery texts for many of the regional artists featured in the show. While Gravon acknowledges that these texts are not comprehensive, she emphasizes their significance: "They are one of the only art historical overviews that are focused on women artists of this region, so we were really lucky to have them contribute that into our collection."

Highlighted works in the exhibition include Janet Elizabeth Turner's 1953 lithograph "Egg of the Flamingo," which exemplifies the show's mission to expand how women's artistic contributions are seen, valued, and remembered. The exhibition raises broader questions about visibility and recognition in the art world while celebrating the diverse range of media, styles, and perspectives that women artists have brought to the cultural landscape over four centuries.

Visitors interested in learning more about the exhibition can attend a free guided tour scheduled for November 13. The comprehensive show will remain on display through March 1, 2026, providing ample opportunity for art enthusiasts, students, and the general public to explore this important collection and reflect on the ongoing need for greater recognition of women's artistic achievements throughout history.