‘Turn the Volume Up!’ Highlights the History of Speaking Out for Change in America
The exhibition opens at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University on August 27. Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article ‘Turn the Volume Up!’ Highlights the History of Speaking Out for Change in America appeared first on Colossal .
The Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University has launched a new exhibition titled "Turn the volume up!" that delves into American democracy and the role of art in promoting freedom of speech. The comprehensive display showcases a wide range of artworks and artifacts from various contemporary artists and photographers, all united by their commitment to social justice and community organizing.
The exhibition is divided into five thematic sections: Remarks, Organize, Records, Dissents, and Petitions. These divisions allow visitors to better understand the diverse visual languages that artists employ to convey powerful messages and inspire civic action. Works by renowned artists such as Spider Martin, Kara Walker, Bruce Davidson, and the Guerilla Girls are featured prominently in the exhibition.
Spider Martin's striking documentation of Freedom Marches during the Civil Rights Movement is just one example of the powerful imagery on display. Kara Walker's multimedia pieces offer thought-provoking examinations of U.S. history and racial stereotypes. Bruce Davidson's vivid photographs illuminate social inequality, both in the Jim Crow South and in impoverished urban neighborhoods.
The Guerilla Girls, known for their bold activism, made a significant impact in the 1980s by pasting posters around Manhattan that highlighted the lack of representation of women artists in visual art and popular culture. Bruce Davidson's work continues to resonate today, as does the message of Carol Summers' screenprint, which features a bold red "X" over a photograph of a Vietnamese mother and her children, a testament to the artists' unwavering commitment to social change.
Throughout the exhibition's run, pieces will be rotated to ensure that visitors experience a diverse array of works from the museum's collection. "Turn the volume up!" opens on August 27, 2023, and will continue through July 11, 2027. Another exhibition, "Everything Now All at Once," runs concurrently until November 1, 2023.
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