Donna Ray had her second solo exhibition at the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery. The work was on display from December 12, 2023, through February 3, 2024. In a time where the topic of educational paths is being discussed, derided, or championed, Ray is an example of an artist following her own journey. She is living proof that there is room for everyone. She arrives at openings all over Minneapolis and is more than a welcomed guest; she is a force of persistent joy and will grab a friendly arm while saying how excited she is to come and see the art, “Describe this to me!”
And now she has described a world vision for us with her exhibition “Women’s Equity and Gender Fluidity (3A’s) Education, Finance, and Real Estate.” Visitors were greeted by three goddesses imagined and interpreted by Ray based on mythologies from the continental Americas, the African continent, and the Asian continent. Rising from pedestals, they stoically greeted visitors. Imbued with powerful, feminine energy, Ray’s goddesses’ heads were not fixed in place, a nod to the feminine ability to transform. Openings in their bellies were repositories for offerings that became a treasure trove of resources. These goddesses were metaphorical treasuries of abundance. Ray wanted us to understand, “The goddess banks represent the financial history of women saving money. Years ago, women could not have credit cards or their names on a bank account, so women would save money in jars. I transformed the jar into a bank.”
