Kimberly Sass, a professional hockey player with the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) & Architectural Designer with HLW NYC, will present SASS STUDIO’s Behind the Front, an advocacy art show to expose the realities of professional women’s hockey. The exhibit will be on display at the Kraken Community Iceplex from March 18-21 during normal operating hours (6 AM - 11 PM).
Behind the Front is a thought-provoking, immersive art experience featuring large-scale paintings, installation pieces & video inspired by Sass’ experience as a professional female athlete, and highlights the inequities she and her teammates face while playing professional women’s hockey.
“As female athletes, we often hear the criticism, ‘Just be grateful for the opportunity to play,’ ” Sass said. “I would often question if those critics knew the extent of our opportunity to play. The reality in the locker room was that my teammates would laugh off our negative playing conditions, because the alternative was to cry.”
Sass uniquely juxtaposes the harsh realities of balancing careers in pro hockey and architecture, which stand in stark contrast to the positive images (the “front”) which professional women’s hockey portrays to the public.
The Kraken will also host “Power Panel: Women of Hockey” presented by Starbucks on Friday, March 18 at 7 PM at the Kraken Community Iceplex, Starbucks Rink. Panelists include Alex Mandrycky, Kraken Hockey Operations; Renee Hess, Black Girl Hockey Club; Fiona McKenna & Kendall Tyson, Kraken Business Intelligence. ROOT Sports broadcaster Jen Mueller will moderate.
“Since their introduction, the Seattle Kraken have been generating excitement and buzz through their community engagement. They have been serving as leaders of inclusivity in the NHL, which has led to critical dialogue about equity in the sport,” Sass said. “SASS STUDIO is grateful to have the opportunity to use this platform to display Behind The Front.”
Through her show, Sass hopes to spark honest conversations about what it will take to achieve true equity in pro women’s hockey, while fostering public, corporate & private support for and interest in the sport to directly impact female athletes. Ten percent of auction and print artwork sales through April 1, 2022 will be donated to the Women’s Sports Foundation.