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http://www.asianreporter.com/arts/2010/22-presence.htm

Ask 84 women artists from 24 countries to create a self-portrait and you will get an astounding array of artwork: abstract and realism; bold colors and dark tones; paintings, textiles, and ceramics. The exhibit, "Her Presence in Colours IX," with the theme "A Reflection of Self," did precisely that, and the resultant art pieces are on display at Portland State University's (PSU) Littman Gallery through August 27.

The International Women Artists Council (INWAC) has presented "Her Presence in Colours" as a series of exhibits by Asian and international women artists since 1993. INWAC founder and president Dr. Yuen Chee Ling organized the first display in China with only seven artists to promote cultural sensitivity and women artists. The first exhibit was very successful, which was important to the series, especially because "China had not seen outside women artists," Yuen said.

Since then, the exhibit has grown in both size and renown, and it has been offered biennially in a number of Asian countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, and Korea, eventually expanding to include western women artists and countries. The goal of the international exhibition has evolved to reflect "the cohesive spirit of women artists and their inner passion for life and art, their concern and awareness, their emotions and aspirations," as well as to promote peace and understanding. This year marks the first time the exhibit has been hosted by the United States; the Oregon Women's Caucus for Art is a co-presenter with INWAC. The tenth and next show, "Her Presence in Colours X," will be held in Vietnam in 2012.

At the Littman Gallery show, the international group of women artists has encompassed a wide variety of styles, artistic techniques, and media in the self-portraits.

Vietnamese artist Dang Thi Duong's oil-on-canvas painting, "With My Beloved Animals," is a colorful and fun portrait of her sitting with a cat on her lap, a pig and ox nearby, and birds looking on. "Barcoding My Soul," an acrylic-on-canvas painting by Yoko Yoshinaga of Japan, is a thought-provoking, blue-toned picture of the artist lying with a child on her chest, shot through with subtle stripes and barcode numbers at the bottom. Nasantsengel Byanjargai, a portrait artist from Mongolia who has been creating art since 1978, painted her soft-toned, pastel- colored portrait "on a peaceful day, after mediating," she said. A feeling of calmness radiates from her lovely painting.

Yuen Chee Ling, who is from Penang, Malaysia, was influenced in her portrait by the tsunami that caused her country such tragedy. Normally one to paint in bright, bold colors, her piece shows her in profile, surrounded by darkness and shadows.

Countries represented in the exhibit include Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, Russia, Hong Kong, Australia, and many others. The host country is allowed to select the most artists, and as such, 24 of them are from the United States. Among the U.S. artists are Una Kim - co-chair of a conference coinciding with the art display - and Pakistani-American artist Sabina Zeba Haque, whose work combines photography, collage, and painting to examine issues of race, geopolitics, and gender across cultural boundaries.

Held in conjunction with the first week of the art exhibit was INWAC's ninth conference, which allowed artists from Asia, Europe, Australia, and the Americas to engage in an intercultural exchange of ideas and techniques through seminars and talks.

"Her Presence in Colours IX" is on view through August 27 at PSU's Littman Gallery, located in room 250 of Smith Center (1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland). To learn more, call (503) 725-5656, e-mail <artcom@pdx.edu>, or visit <www.pdx.edu/art/exhibitions> or <www.art-her.com>.