The Art of Resistance artist talk

Please join us on Saturday, September 15 at 5pm in the Third Floor East Gallery for an artist talk with the organizers, artists and community of The Art of Resistance.

 

From the exhibit organizer and lead artist, Kerrigan Casey:

This project, The Art of Resistance, a collaborative effort among Black artists based in Alabama, transforms archival documents from Alabama’s death row into a traveling multi-and mixed media art exhibit. Centering visual and audio artifacts from people on death row as well as their surviving loved ones, the exhibit focuses on various forms of resistance to capital punishment in the state thatsentences more people to death per capita than any other.

Our work allows us to bring a community of artists together to collaborate with people on death row and members of the community to show a different reflection of how people on death row are treated and represented. We want all of us to have the opportunity to create art but this project allows us to create change over time with relationship-building and learning together how we can transform public opinion and eventually state legislation. Community-based artmaking is important because that is the core in developing social change. We model how we want to come together to build on common concerns and shared interests.

The project works toward healing, equity, and racial justice by highlighting the ways in which the current system disrupts, harms, and traumatizes communities, particularly communities of color. It relies on abolitionist frameworks as well as participatory action frameworks that involve and center communities who are most impacted by a social problem. It also relies on a framework of mutual aid through which people come together to share their talents and resources to work toward greater social and political change. In this case, artists are offering their talents, and those impacted by the death penalty are offering their experiences and
artifacts, to work toward abolition together.

We are excited about this unique opportunity. It is difficult to receive funding for projects as heavy as this one where we live— especially given the state’s support for capital punishment. We are especially excited to explore the process of artmaking through relationship-building as we connect with each other and with various communities impacted by the death penalty.

To find the the gallery in Lowe Mill A&E, click MORE INFO below (Tickets are NOT required.)