Diosa (Jasmina Cazacu)
TITLE
On the Wings of Change
ARTIST
Diosa (Jasmina Cazacu)
LOCATION
33 East Ida B Wells Drive (South Side)
PHOTO CREDIT
Sandra Steinbrecher
ARTIST STATEMENT
On the Wings of Change depicts a young adolescent girl enthralled in wonder as she opens a magical book from which the history of Chicago’s women’s suffrage emerges as enchanted pages that whirl all around her. The animated pages contain portraits of key figures in the local suffrage movement. The entire scene is unified by a flight of swallows, who are well known for their resilience in long distance migrations, representing the inspiring journey of women who dared to soar to new heights. This design aims to capture the marvel and awe that sweeps over young girls as they begin to learn about the women before them who courageously organized and fearlessly strived to establish empowerment for their voices. For inspiration for the figure at the bottom I photographed a 14-year-old girl, who will be eligible to vote in the next presidential election. During our session we discussed how the right to vote is a privilege which in the not-so-distant past excluded women and minorities. In the course of our conversation, she realized that she will soon be passed the torch that women have historically fought for and that with it the responsibility of this great legacy will become hers. In this manner, Vanessa represents the spirit of the suffrage movement and is the present-day embodiment of hope for the future.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Diosa (Jasmina Cazacu) is a Spanish-Romanian painter based out of Chicago, IL. She uses surreal, dreamlike imagery to create fantastical scenes that dare her audience to challenge their perceptions, question reality, and appreciate the magic that is always flourishing beneath the surface of the mundane. Diosa’s pieces ultimately function as social critiques exploring themes such as feminism & social politics. The topic of femininity is prevalent throughout Diosas’s work; her audience is continually challenged to consider an analytic approach to its concepts of and interactions with the feminine.
SUFFRAGISTS DEPICTED
Mary Livermore, Frances E. Willard, Mary Fitzbutler Waring, Myra Bradwell, Fannie Barrier Williams, Ida B. Wells, Catharine Waugh McCulloch, Jane Addams, Grace Wilbur Trout, and Agnes Nestor
About the Chicago Womxn's Suffrage Tribute Committee
The Chicago Womxn's Suffrage Tribute Committee was formed in 2020 to honor the work of Illinois women for voting and other rights for women, and to ensure that the stories of women’s activism are told and not forgotten. The focus is to create public art projects that will reach wide audiences and serve to mark the work of women activists in public spaces and venues.
About This Project
Commissioning Committee: The Chicago Womxn’s Suffrage Tribute Committee: Meg Duguid, Michelle Duster, Catherine Mardikes, Kris Nesbitt, Lori Osborne, and Neysa Page-Lieberman
Producer: Meg Duguid
Site and Production Manager: Abie Vasquez, AB Productions
Assistant Artist: Jesus Navarrete, The Art Bunch Inc
Photography: Sandra Steinbrecher
This project was made possible with donations from individual supporters and Chicago Foundation for Women, Jane Walker by Johnnie Walker, The Harnisch Foundation, Chicago Women’s History Center, and the Illinois Arts Council Agency.