Erin Sedra, MFA in Visual Studies student at Missouri State University, recently won the top award in the Social Activism category of the United States International Poster Biennial Exhibition for her poster “Ruthless.”

Sedra accepted her award at a ceremony in Ames, Iowa.

The exhibition will travel to venues in China, Poland, California, New York, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Iowa and additional locations yet to be announced.

“Ruthless” honors Ruth Bader Ginsburg while embracing social activism

“The piece is titled ‘Ruthless’ and is an abstraction of RBG’s famous lace collar made from wire hangers,” Sedra said.

“When creating this piece, I was reflecting on my own grief I felt the night Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, and the fear for the future of women’s rights that accompanied the emotions of that evening,” Sedra added.

The poster was inspired by the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that made access to abortion a federal right.

“I wanted to reinvigorate the symbol of the coat hanger but stop the cliché and send a message that is a little ambiguous but not impossible to decipher,” Sedra explained.

The reference to the coat hanger relates to a previously used non-medically safe abortion.

Early passion for art grows into means of expression

Sedra’s passion for design and making statements started at a young age. Past efforts include designing brand identity projects for the community, while her current studio work is devoted to completing her thesis exhibition.

“My work is about the female condition…and while initially, much of my work was about the rage I felt towards the attack on women’s reproductive rights, my work has naturally expanded beyond that,” Sedra said.

“I created a collage series that experimented with materials that reference femininity…and menstrual cycles. Protesting abortion was my starting point, but the work has progressed into an expression of my own experiences as a woman,” she added.

Sedra is a teaching assistant in the art and design department. After graduation, she plans to continue teaching in a college and university environment.

View Erin Sedra’s work.

Learn more about opportunities in art and design

News written by Mariah Hunter, edited by Reynolds College Communications Team.

Hunter is a graduate assistant working towards her master’s degree in writing at Missouri State University.

Photos by Erin Sedra.