Art

new online photography exhibition “pulling down the walls” combats the racism and sexism running rampant in this election season

November 8, 2016

It’s no secret that today is election day for the United States and before the sun rises tomorrow, there will be a new president-elect set to take office come January. This election season’s end can’t come any sooner, the anticipation to know our next president has never been quite this palpable. In the midst of the racist, xenophobic, sexist, and all around trifling dynamic this election season has created, one quote from the Republican party nominee stood out for the creators at Gallery No. 8. On June 16, 2015, Donald J. Trump announced his candidacy and said, “I will build a great wall and nobody builds better walls than me, believe me.” This sound byte would launch the thoughts and creative energy required to make the “Pulling Down The Walls” exhibition a reality. “Pulling Down The Walls” connects the work of Galerie number 8 artists to the current political climate in the US whilst looking further to the chaos that lies beyond. With work from Campbell Addy, Hector Mediavilla, Justin French, Leonard Pongo, David Uzochukwu, Nicolas Henry, and Ivan Forde, the photography exhibition draws from a diverse range of inspirations and emanates a wide breadth of political thought and expression, centering on unity and truth.

From the official site, Gallery No. 8 said, “Some photographs in this collection intentionally address these issues, like Justin French, in his series The Unwilling Martyrs who touches on the experiences and pains of the black lives matter movement’s messaging and gaps in representation. Others such as Hector Mediavilla who took a series of photographs along the US /Mexican border in 3 of the 4 northern Border States or Leonard Pongo whose ‘Uncanny’ series taken in the Congo looks at the strange magic of life in the DRC more clearly document the harshness of the lives of the people and places they photograph.” Enjoy a selection from the exhibition here and please check out the full project ONLINE through Dec. 16: http://galerienumber8.com/exhibitions

By T. McLendon, AFROPUNK Contributor

Justin French: Patriot, 2016

Justin French: Martyr, 2016

Justin French: Heroine, 2016

Justin French: Dutiful Citizen, 2016

Héctor Mediavilla: Latingo Border #1, 2010

Héctor Mediavilla: Latingo Border #6, 2010

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