Press Release July 2024

Media Contact:
Timothy Brown
Hillyer Director
hillyerdirector@artsandartists.org

PRESS RELEASE

Democracy in the Crossfire: Art, Identity, and Resilience July 6 – September 1, 2024 and Newly Selected Artists: April Webb and Redeat Wondemu July 6 – July 28, 2024. The opening receptions are Friday, July 5 (“First Friday”), 6 to 8 p.m.

Democracy in the Crossfire: Art, Identity, and Resilience
Curated by Tim Brown and Dr. Sarah Klein

In 2024, over four billion individuals—nearly half of the world’s population—reside in countries participating in national elections. Against this backdrop, our exhibition and associated programming stand as an exploration of democracy: its triumphs, its trials, its pledges, and its pitfalls.

Democracy in the Crossfire showcases a collective narrative woven together by a collection of dynamic local, national, and international artists, offering a tapestry of diverse perspectives on the pressing global issues confronting citizens in contemporary democratic landscapes. Notably, the inclusion of Washington, DC area artists adds a crucial dimension. Their art amplifies the diverse voices and experiences of our community, fostering dialogue and reflection on the challenges inherent in democratic societies worldwide

Through this exhibition, visitors are challenged to confront the intricate paradoxes inherent in democratic frameworks, delving into the dynamics of opportunity, participation, representation, conflict, and the profound role of identity in shaping collective action and societal transformation.

Featured Artists

  • Anna U Davis
  • Carter Wynne
  • Helen Zughaib
  • Jannis Kounellis
  • Kirsty Little
  • Nebojša Šerić Shoba
  • Orna Ben-Ami
  • Patrick G. Ryan
  • Renée Stout
  • Sebastian Rich
  • Shamila Chaudhary
  • Steven Cummings
  • Tracy Meehleib
  • Vahram Aghasyan
  • Zoe Kosmidou

April Webb
Optimal Delusion

By highlighting gender inequity in domestic and unpaid labor, Optimal Delusion questions established notions of value. By connecting perceived patterns, Webb maps domestic labor, making new connections with each install, by responding to the limitations of space. A THREE-PART DISSECTION OF THE RUG THAT I SWEEP THINGS UNDER, MAP MOP, and THE DEVIL AND GOD ARE BOTH IN THE DETAILS, are a series of drawings on disposable mop pads. The patterns and pads are connected both physically and visually, elevating their importance through repetition. SCROLL highlights the fragility of these connections using perforated wet wipes. DREAM CATCHER accentuates patterns of dust on air filters by celebrating the work it takes to remain invisible. Lastly, FE MINI START and BUT THAT’S NONE OF MY BUSINESS are dryer lint fire starters which use grid patterning and the bundt cake form to suggest femininity and class, which is reinforced by organization and hierarchy.

Redeat Wondemu
Phoenix Series

Phoenix Series is a self-portrait series of large cyanotype handmade prints created with digital negatives on watercolor paper. The series is based on the mythical bird which represents renewal, and a very personal form of rebirth. Across the images, deep blue contrasts a moving white figure evoking turbulence, vulnerability, and introspection.

Redeat’s practice focuses on being slow and intentional, from being in front of the camera to developing and producing the final image. The images were created using slow shutter speeds and a very intensive printing process. This project pushes the boundaries of her previous work in terms of size (44 x 60 in), length to develop (10 days per print), custom printing reagents (cyanotype) and hand-based editing techniques, self-portraiture compared to capturing portraits of other women muses, and deeper cultural significance following extensive time in Ethiopia. The photographs in the Phoenix Series hang consecutively from I to VI.

Image Credits

Democracy in the Crossfire, Sebastian Rich, Afghan Refugee in Patras, 24 x 18 in; April Webb, Map Mop (detail); Redeat Wondemu, Phoenix Series 5.