Lydia Street Gallery will present the opening reception for two new exhibitions: Sarah Hirneisen: "Heirlooms" and Deborah Vanko: "The Personal is Political."

In "Heirlooms," Hirneisen explores themes of gender stereotypes and the associations that society typically assigns to specific consumer goods and tools. She does this by creating hybrid objects that become a gender mash-up by combining materials and components in unexpected ways. With this body of work, she is reimagining the idea of a hope chest or dowry, creating handmade objects with the intent of being heirlooms for her children.

In "The Personal is Political," Vanko presents works that take on the issues of the female experience of love, sexuality, discrimination, and power. She seeks the empowerment of women through sexual liberation and societal liberation. Her sculpture and collage work combine sexual imagery (high heels, breasts) , elements of domestic life (coffee pots, baking pans) along with the excitement of fringe and tassles to give women permission to claim their lives and sexuality on their own terms.

The exhibitions will remain on display through November 17.