You Are In:

AMERICAN WOMEN ARTISTS
NEW EXHIBIT SHOWCASES U.S. CULTURE

Brussels, Belgium: On September 12th, 2006, Victoria Nuland, the first woman to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) opened an exhibit designed to introduce some of today’s most important and innovative American female artists to a broader international audience.

The exhibit, 21st Century American Women Artists, was unveiled at Truman Hall, the official residence of the U.S. Ambassador to NATO. The artists Raine Bedsole, Marita Dingus and Roshan Houshmand attended the opening, as well as leading figures from Belgium and Europe’s art and cultural scene and representatives from NATO-Allied and Partner nations.

In describing the exhibit, Ambassador Nuland said it “reflects America’s global heritage and the richness and diversity of our culture ... At a time when the NATO Alliance itself is expanding its commitment to peace and security in many parts of the world, I hope this beautiful collection will inspire our work and lift our sights.”

The 21st Century American Women Artists exhibition conveys the optimism, energy and diversity of works by Karen Barth; Raine Bedsole; Marita Dingus; Roshan Houshmand; Karen Lamonte; Annette Lemieux; Emily Richardson; Kiki Smith; and Lisa Vershbow. Cast in a variety of media – glass, fabric, metal, paint, wood – the artwork explores the human spirit, our connection to nature, and the challenges of modern life in an interconnected world.

All the artwork on display was loaned for the duration of Ambassador Nuland’s tenure at NATO, by the artists and galleries through the innovative work of the Art in Embassies Program (ART), an organization of the United States Department of State.

Founded 40 years ago, ART was created to promote a sense of the distinct cultural identity of America’s art and its artists, this innovative program traverses cultural and language barriers by providing original works of art by U.S. citizens for the representational rooms of U.S. embassies and residences worldwide. Speaking about the ART program, Secretary Rice has said: “American diplomacy must tell the story of the American people … No one tells this story more vividly than America’s artists and their works.”

ART Program Link: http://aiep.state.gov

To obtain a high resolution version of the featured pictures, please contact the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Mission to NATO at 02/724.32.37.