Lauren Greenfield’s Girl Culture exhibit leaves us with incredilble attendance numbers (3,311 to be exact) and fond memories. It was amazing to see so much excitement and support surrounding Girl Culture. Lauren expressed to me how grateful and excited she was to exhibit her photographs inside a library. One advantage of housing this exhibit inside the Topeka and Shawnee Public Library, is the diversity of visitors that come through our doors already on a day-to-day basis. Lauren stated, ” this is really where the rubber meets the road”.
As facilitator of this exhibit, I have been thrilled to witness and engage in dialogue that has surfaced. Girl Culture has raised questions about our consumer driven society and has brought the community together in a new way. Tough questions were raised by those who toured the exhibit. Questions such as “Well, so what do we do about it?” stimulated thought provoking conversations between not only library staff but visitors as well. I will not forget our opening night reception where families and young adults alike discussed/ participated in the exhibit’s hands-on activites. Powerful exhibits move people and in some cases influence positive change in a society. How will today’s girl culture impact tomorrow’s?
I am personally grateful to all who have made this exhibit such a success. Hosting Girl Culture at the Sabatini Art Gallery would have not been possible without the Junior League of Topeka. Thank you Junior League for extending your generosity and passion!