“Women’s Rights are Human Rights” features student posters

As part of “Women’s Rights are Human Rights: International Posters on Gender-Based Inequality, Violence and Discrimination,” students at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) were invited to submit their own posters reflecting their interpretation of the exhibition.

Embracing the theme of women’s rights and gender equality, 14 students across MIAD majors created posters in response to selected posters currently on view in the exhibition. The student-created responses “add depth to the conversation, exploring themes of women’s rights, symbols of oppression and inclusion, the importance of trans rights and identities and diverse perspectives on a personal and global level.”

Richard Johnson ’28 created “Sisters.” “[A]s a trans male artist, advocating for my community is a huge part of my artistic practice … I considered a way to confront the serious issue of transmisogynistic violence, whilst also taking time to celebrate the different forms of anatomy that womanhood can encompass,” he says. “The anthurium and the butterfly pea plant are each unique, yet stand together as sisters; their existences and fights for freedom from oppression are intertwined.” Visitors to the exhibition, he hopes, “will be able to recognize that the struggles women face in our world are intersectional, and that women of all backgrounds … deserve autonomy and respect.”

For Johnson, many MIAD classroom experiences also connect to themes of the exhibition. “In my experience, MIAD has regularly made an effort to focus and work on intersectional representation, and a lot of the historic or professional example artworks that instructors will feature in the curriculum and encourage students to interact with, are ones with feminist themes,” he explains.

Phoebe Nelson, “Value Women’s Art,” 2025.

“When making my poster I wanted the viewer to feel ready to go!” says Brooke Thompson ’25, who created an untitled poster featuring construction workers building a high-heeled shoe. “Ready to create and stand tall in the face of doubt and stereotypes. I wanted to make something hopeful to spark creativity in anyone viewing.” At MIAD, Thompson appreciates their classmates: “My peers making work with passion is inspiring to me as an illustrator. Having classmates that give great feedback is extremely helpful and enriching.”

Phoebe Nelson’s ’25 poster, “Value Women’s Art,” addresses inequality within the art world. “There are many issues that women are facing in today’s climate that are very pressing and immediate; I believe that to understand the scope of sexism, inequality, racism, and homophobia, it is important to look at all of the ways that oppression has been woven into our own communities,” she says. “Our society has taught us to look at the art of women, such as quilting and fiber arts, as crafts. It’s important to deconstruct our ideas of what the art world has told us “art” is … I think it is easy to look at posters about larger issues and believe they are further from us and out of our control. I hope people who view my poster are reminded that these inequalities remain prominent in their own communities. It’s not only about art, it is about truly valuing women.”

Nelson appreciates the “influential professors, instructors, and peers at MIAD who have helped me reconstruct my views on art and what I value. It’s been so powerful to become aware of my own biases and to reevaluate art, including my own process, while surrounded by such a supportive community.”

“Women’s Rights are Human Rights” is on view in MIAD’s Brooks Stevens Gallery until March 8, 2025. Learn more and plan your visit to MIAD’s Galleries.