About the exhibition

Rules, Responsibilities, Restraints: Women's Pursuit of Equity, a travelling exhibition of artworks by French painter Fleur Spolidor and American sculptor Sawyer Rose, combines the powerful tools of visual arts and educational writing to spark public dialogue around gender equity and the empowerment of women.

The Rules, Responsibilities, Restraints exhibition will be on display as a meaningful and instructive companion to the discussions of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women scheduled for March 2024. The work of the Commission, “accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls,” happens mainly behind closed doors. The Rules, Responsibilities, Restraints exhibition, though, will be displayed to the public in the Visitors Lobby of the UN headquarters in New York, celebrating the inspiring efforts of the Commission while also empowering visitors to question the gender status quo for themselves.

To one degree or another, in most cultures around the world, women are trained to “stay small.” From girlhood, we are told not to take up too much space physically, emotionally, in our homes, and in our careers. This exhibition stands up against these systems of oppression by telling women’s stories (both historical and contemporary, and through an intersectional lens), raising awareness about social issues affecting women and girls worldwide, and honoring the power and the elegance of the feminine.

About the artists

  • Fleur Spolidor

    THE SWIMSUITS SERIES: A PICTORIAL REFLECTION ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS

    Fleur Spolidor, MFA, NAWA, is an eco-conscious visual artist, whose subject matters raise awareness on worrisome issues like women’s rights and climate change.

    Her work on the subject of the surreal situations that women face in society developed in The Swimsuits series: A pictorial reflection on women’s rights has been selected to be on display at the European delegation to the United Nations for CSW 67.

    Spolidor actively volunteers her brushes for schools and nonprofits. She has been awarded a grant for curatorial projects during the pandemic by the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds (Netherlands) and was selected as a mentee in the 2021 NCWCA Mentorship Program (San Francisco).

    Spolidor is a signature member of the National Association of Women Artists and a member of the Northern California Women’s Caucus for Art (San Francisco).

    She holds a Masters in Contemporary Art History, University Paris-Nanterre, France.

    Her work can be found in private and public collections in Europe and in the US.

    Born and raised in Paris, France, Spolidor currently lives and works in Westchester County, NY.

  • Sawyer Rose

    THE CARRYING STONES PROJECT

    Sawyer Rose, FRSA, MRSS, is a sculptor, installation and social practice artist. Throughout her career, Rose has used her artwork to shine a spotlight on contemporary social and ecological issues. Her work on The Carrying Stones Project addresses women’s work inequity and has been featured by the New York Times, Ms., and BUST. Sculptures and photographs from the project are currently touring universities, museums, and corporate sites across the United States.

    Rose has been a resident artist at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA), The Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Ireland, Moulin à Nef in France, Vermont Studio Center, Ragdale Foundation, and Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture in San Francisco. She has been awarded grants from The Ruth and Harold Chenven Foundation, The Creative Capacity Fund, The Awesome Foundation, and ArtistGrant.org.

    Rose is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts (London); a Member of the Royal Society of Sculptors (London); a Member of the Sculptors Guild (New York); and a Signature Member of National Association of Women Artists (New York). She is the Past President and current Communications Chair of the Northern California Women’s Caucus for Art (San Francisco).

    Born and raised in North Carolina, she holds a degree in Art History from Williams College in Massachusetts, and currently lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area.