Images courtesy of Alexandra Perez
From August 17 – November 3, 2024, The Arlington Museum of Art presents a women’s contemporary exhibition, She Said, She Said, curated by Alexandra Perez. We wanted to gain more insight into the curation of this exhibition, and the curator herself.
AMA: What brought you into being a curator? Did you have any mentors or someone who inspired you throughout your career path?
Alexandra Perez: I have a background in Photography and Art History, which I studied through my undergraduate and graduate education. Since then, I knew I wanted to pursue this field beyond the classroom and make an impact on the community through art as a curator. I was inspired by my professor and mentor at the University of Florida, Dr. Melissa Hyde, to pursue Art History, especially with a focus on women artists and self-portraiture which I believe is evident in the curatorial approach to She Said, She Said. Working at the Rubell Museum, I’ve had the opportunity to work on various projects while in my role as Exhibition Manager thanks to our Director, Juan Valadez, who collaborated with me on the curation of She Said, She Said for Arlington Museum of Art.
AMA: What were some of the challenges, if any, in curating She Said, She Said? 
AP: It is always a challenge to narrow down the right selection of artworks out of the thousands of pieces in our collection to share a concise, yet varied, powerful message for visitors. To select artworks that make the exhibition meaningful for both people who are new to contemporary art, as well as those who are well versed in the field.
AMA: There is such a wide variety of different mediums and techniques throughout the work, what was your curatorial approach in bringing these works together?
AP: The goal with this exhibition was to focus on young artists and new work, with the inclusion of a few pioneering artists such as Cindy Sherman. We wanted this exhibition to feel fresh and of our time, and with that came the presentation of artists who are using the most inventive and creative materials, for example the silicone sculptures by Cajsa von Zeipel. We are hoping to expand visitors’ ideas of what can constitute art and provide varying experiences from room to room.
Image courtesy of Alexandra Perez
AMA: How do you think She Said, She Said contributes to the ongoing conversation about a woman’s artistic perspective and challenges traditional narratives?
AP: She Said, She Said demonstrates that just as for centuries museums have been filled with only men, that women too can take up space and museums can be filled with all-women exhibitions. The exhibition also serves to demonstrate that there is no such thing as one female perspective, rather there are numerous diverse perspectives and modes of creation. With that being said, we hope that with continuing support and representation of women artists, that the need for mentioning the gender associated with the maker can one day be eliminated and “women artists” can be known simply as “artists.”
AMA: Do you have a piece or specific artist that you resonate with or are drawn to the most, and if so, why?
AP: Solange Pessoa’s Catedral. I remember visiting the Rubell Museum several years back before I started working here and seeing Catedral on view. Walking into the gallery, it envelops you and creates a new environment in which you can walk through and explore the piece, rather than simply looking at it from one angle. I am alway
s captivated by non-figurative installation pieces which have you think deeper about the artist’s use of materials, form, and historical significance tied to it. For Catedral, Pessoa embeds her work with natural materials and distant memories of Brazilian history and colonization.
Image courtesy of the Rubell Museum
AMA: What conversations do you hope She Said, She Said will spark in the community?
AP: I hope that as visitors walk through the galleries, each person can find at least one piece which they can relate to and see themselves in, prompting important conversations between friends and family about the impact of art. With the variety of mediums, I also hope that the community can see that art is not relegated to paint on canvas and can embolden people to create or support new ways of making. Ultimately, we hope that in experiencing the exhibition, viewers begin to move away from a gendered view of the arts and appreciate the work for its artistic merit and significance.
About Our Collaboration with the Rubell Museum
She Said, She Said represents the third collaboration between the Arlington Museum of Art and
the Rubell Museum. In 2019, the AMA presented Keith Haring: Against All Odds, a retrospective spotlighting works ranging from the artist’s best-known imagery to more personal pieces, timed to the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. In 2021, the AMA presented 30 Americans, a powerful showcase of works by 30 emerging and established African American artists that examines issues of racial, sexual, and historical identity in contemporary culture and the powerful influence of artistic legacy and community across generations.
