A St. Paul art gallery is hosting a special exhibition titled "Art for Gender Justice," which showcases the work of Minnesota artists exploring themes of gender and identity. The show, held at Calendula Gallery in the city's Lowertown district, directs a portion of its sales to Gender Justice, a Minnesota-based legal advocacy organization.
The exhibition, which debuted during the Fall 2025 St. Paul Art Crawl, features 18 pieces from various artists. It will remain on display for weekend viewings through November 16.
Key Takeaways
- Calendula Gallery in Lowertown, St. Paul, is hosting an exhibition called "Art for Gender Justice."
- The show features 18 works by Minnesota-based queer and trans artists exploring gender and identity.
- A portion of the proceeds from art sales will be donated to the legal advocacy group Gender Justice.
- The exhibition was inspired by gallery co-owner Helene Woods' personal connection to the organization.
- The show runs on weekends through November 16 as part of the Fall 2025 Art Crawl.
A Fusion of Art and Advocacy in Lowertown
St. Paul's Lowertown neighborhood has long been recognized as a vital center for the city's arts community. The area, once dominated by warehouses and industrial buildings, has transformed into a vibrant district filled with galleries and creative studios. For the past three years, Calendula Gallery on Fourth Street has contributed to this artistic landscape.
During the highly anticipated Fall 2025 Art Crawl, the gallery introduced an exhibition with a distinct purpose. "Art for Gender Justice" brings together artists from across Minnesota who use their work to investigate and express ideas about gender, sexuality, and queerness. The collection provides a platform for perspectives shaped by personal experiences as trans and queer individuals or as their supportive caregivers.
The St. Paul Art Crawl
The St. Paul Art Crawl is a semi-annual event that has been a cornerstone of the Twin Cities arts scene for decades. It allows the public to visit hundreds of artist studios and galleries in Lowertown and other neighborhoods, offering a direct connection between creators and the community. The event highlights the city's rich artistic talent and the adaptive reuse of its historic industrial architecture.
This exhibition is not just a display of creative talent; it is an act of community support. By donating a portion of all sales, the gallery and its artists are providing tangible financial assistance to Gender Justice, an organization that advocates for gender equity through legal action and policy change.
Historical Echoes in Contemporary Art
One of the featured artists in the exhibition is CL Martin, who is based in Minneapolis. Martin's piece, titled “Venus of Asbury,” deliberately engages with history to question and dismantle conventional representations of gender in art. The artwork draws inspiration from the culture of Weimar, Germany.
The Weimar Republic (1918-1933) was Germany's first democratic government and is remembered for an extraordinary period of cultural and artistic innovation. Its performance and art scenes frequently challenged societal norms, and the era saw the emergence of a community that was notably supportive of queer liberation and theory.
"I've always been interested in history... there are parallels between Weimar, Germany, and now," Martin explained. "Weimar, Germany, was also a time when, I'd say, in the modern times, it was the first time when trans people and queer people were recognized as actual citizens."
Martin's painting portrays a figure with an intense, direct gaze and a neutral expression. According to the artist, the subject is a composite of different people and serves as a subversion of Venus, the classical archetype of female beauty. The piece offers a “modern twist through the lens of gender identity.”
Deconstructing Gender Norms
A specific detail in “Venus of Asbury” directly references its historical inspiration. “The wrapping on the figure’s chest that says, F— gender, is a particular reference to Weimar, Germany,” Martin noted. “And performers that used to wear similar things in theater performances to subvert their gender.”
For Martin, exploring history through art is a way to better understand the present. "Touching on history through my art is just another way of kind of trying to understand," she said. This approach adds layers of meaning to the artwork, connecting contemporary identity politics with earlier movements for liberation.
A Personal Mission for Gallery Owners
The creation of the "Art for Gender Justice" exhibition was a deeply personal project for Helene Woods, co-owner of Calendula Gallery. She stated that this is a show she has wanted to organize for a long time, driven by her family's experience with the beneficiary organization nearly ten years ago.
Woods credits Gender Justice with providing critical legal defense for her son. The positive outcome of that case, she said, had a profound and life-altering impact on him.
A Lifesaving Intervention
"I know that sounds like hyperbole, but when that case was decided, he went from being depressed and suicidal all the time to ‘I'm going to live my life,’” Woods shared, emphasizing the crucial role the organization played in her son's well-being.
This personal history fueled her desire to give back, transforming the gallery space into a platform for both artistic expression and meaningful support. Woods runs the gallery with her daughter, Teagan. Based in Monticello, the mother-daughter team established Calendula with the goal of bridging the gap between artists in the Twin Cities metro and those in more rural parts of Minnesota.
Connecting Minnesota's Artistic Communities
Calendula Gallery currently represents approximately 30 artists from diverse locations across the state. This model provides a valuable opportunity for artists living outside the metro area to maintain a consistent presence in the bustling Lowertown art scene without the need for constant travel.
"This just gives them — and me — an opportunity to have a consistent presence without having to drive in every single weekend," Woods said. The gallery acts as a hub, fostering a statewide network of creators and making their work accessible to a broader urban audience.
The "Art for Gender Justice" exhibition exemplifies this mission by bringing together voices from different parts of Minnesota to focus on a shared theme. The show not only highlights the state's artistic talent but also demonstrates how creative platforms can be powerful tools for social advocacy and community solidarity.
The exhibition is open to the public on weekends at Calendula Gallery in St. Paul and will conclude on November 16.