Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, [email protected]  

CANYON, Texas — The ways in which people are boxed into gendered expectations will be examined in an art exhibition opening March 31 at West Texas A&M University. 

Ann Callen’s “Fragile” will hang March 31 to April 23 in the Dord Fitz Formal Gallery in Mary Moody Northen Hall. An opening reception is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. March 31. 

“My work is a response to society’s expectations of gender roles, focusing on the discussion of women’s oppression so many endure in their daily lives,” said Callen, a graduate student from Amarillo. “The idea comes alive in my work with the abstract use of boxes and the labels we commonly see on the boxes we have shipped.  

“My labels echo the language that shapes our idea of gender roles from body image to violence against women, and the boxes represent the role we are all often pressured into filling,” Callen said. 

Her work “combines years of artistic practice with her graphic design background,” said Jon Revett, the Doris Alexander Distinguished Professor of Fine Arts and art program director. 

“Ann explores the theme of boxes as a metaphor for social constructs in which she and others have found themselves,” Revett said. “This exciting collection of these works on paper represents a cohesive and powerful statement on societal expectations.” 

Callen earned her bachelor’s degree in graphic design in 1999 at WT after transferring from Amarillo College. She has worked for more than 20 years in a creative or management capacity as a graphic designer and managing a creative team for 11 years. She has experience in higher education, marketing, fundraising and teaching. 

Fostering an appreciation for the arts is a key mission of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World. 

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched Sept. 23 — has raised almost $108 million. 

About West Texas A&M University 

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs, 39 master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.