Embodying Culture: Women in Appalachia

Embodiment is an act of taking in or becoming so as to make visible otherwise intangible ideas. Literally, embodiment is the giving of form or expression to the abstract by putting it “in the body.” In cultural embodiment, elements of culture may be inscribed on or within a body as a mark of identification or to designate individuals as culture bearers. While gender is not exclusive in cultural embodiment, women are often the most recognized culture bearers in marked and invisible ways. This exhibition explores the ways in which women embody Appalachian culture and traditions of the past and present as they shape the future.