UPRISING

UPRISING

To view the artist statement and artist bio for each image, please follow THIS LINK.

Please drive through the exhibit following this route:

Protests this summer have lifted the voices of people seeking justice. Thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest systemic racism and police brutality. Many waved signs and posters, using artistic expression and the power of the printed word to rally the emotions of others to demand for racial equity.

Throughout history, posters have been used as a powerful form of protest and symbol of discontent. Does the poster empower? Does it call others to arms? In its most successful form, the protest poster speaks the voice of an individual but captures the voice of the many.

A common form of political art – the protest poster – was the inspiration for UPRISING, an outdoor exhibition of printed works created by Black artists that explore themes of racial justice, presented by Kennedy Heights Arts Center in partnership with Art Beyond Boundaries, and curated by Jymi Bolden.

“The imagery of this exhibit confronts the viewer with the injustices to which today’s young artists bare witness. The viewer is also reminded of the fact that these injustices are reruns of race-based atrocities through the lens of images drawn from the life experiences of the veteran artists in the exhibit,” remarked curator Jymi Bolden.

Newly created works by Cincinnati-based artists Cherie Garces, Terence Hammonds, Gee Horton, Hannah “Jonesy” Jones, Jimi Jones, Cynthia Lockhart, and Ricci Michaels are displayed along with a newly printed image from an archived 35mm negative by Melvin Grier, a newly altered 2019 painting by Gilbert Young (Atlanta, GA), and a Thom Shaw (d. 2010) print. The original works of art were photographed in high-resolution and printed large-scale (4’ x 6’) using weather resistant materials to allow them to be installed outside.

The goal of this exhibition is to provide a platform for Black artists’ voices. In UPRISING, artists use the power of art to illuminate and tackle issues of racial justice, and boldly advocate for change.

Spaced throughout the grassy grounds of the Kennedy Heights Arts Center, this exhibition can be viewed as a drive-through experience, utilizing the circular driveway that wraps around the building, or guests can park and explore the exhibit on foot. 

Art prints and postcards of each of the images will be available for sale, with net proceeds split between the artist (50%) and the Ohio Justice and Policy Center (50%).

UPRISING will be on view from September 12 to November 28, 2020 at Kennedy Heights Arts Center, 6546 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH 45213. Outdoor viewing open from dawn to dusk. To purchase prints, visit our art shop Wednesday-Friday, 10am to 5pm, and Saturday, 11am to 4pm, or call 513-631-4278, ext. 3.

Thank you to filmmaker Biz Young and FotoFocus Cincinnati for working with us to create the following video about this exhibition.

Behold, Acrylic and glitter on canvas, by Cherie Garces

UPRISING image credit: Jason Whitman

Exhibition Sponsored by: