“Feminist artists tend to make me feel instantly seen,” says Melanie Brewster, who is a Columbia psychology professor and an artist herself. “They are able to capture common gendered experiences, such as marginalization and disconnection, and encourage you to think about them from a slightly different vantage point.” For her, creative works are also sometimes a better way to get to the truth of someone’s story, she explains: “We are constantly bombarded by content that aims to manipulate us to think one way or another. Art is inspiring to me because it speaks for itself and isn’t coercive.” With that in mind, here are five artists—and one gallery show—that she can’t get out of her head.

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