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Racism: The Other American Pandemic, July 15 – September 8, 2020

“Racism: The Other American Pandemic” is an online exhibition of artistic voices inspired by blatant systemic racism, police brutality, political outrage and resurgent white nationalism. The exhibit, on display from July 15-September 8, 2020, seeks to capture this moment in real time, through an intensive curation of the unprecedented online archiving of artistic responses to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.

With more than 20 visual and multi-media artists, poets and performers from the United States and abroad, “Racism: The Other American Pandemic” reflects the abundance of stirring visual and literary responses that have dominated the national conversation since May.

The resurgence of BLM protests during the COVID-19 pandemic has made clear something we have failed to acknowledge until now — racism in America is a pandemic. By every standard of social well-being, Black Americans have been disproportionately disadvantaged. The number of lives lost or diminished over 400 years by virtue of this pandemic far exceeds that of COVID-19, yet after just a few months, we have already committed trillions of dollars to finding a cure for and treating COVID.  We must make the same commitment to the cure for racism. 

“Racism: The Other American Pandemic” joins the world outcry against racism.  It is a “rapid response” document, archiving these exceptional calls for racial and social justice in the desire to offer our community a space to share emotions and opinions through art. We especially want to highlight the role artists are playing as the vanguard in the struggle against racism. This exhibition also supports the efforts of of Eastern’s student chapter of the NAACP to support equity and inclusion on campus. Ultimately, these artists communicate a ferocious love for the values our country proclaims, and a vision for the role it will hopefully play as a beacon of justice in the 21st century. 

Yulia Tikhonova, Art Gallery coordinator

'Racism: The Other American Pandemic' virtual exhibit at ECSU looks at persistent crisis

Joyce Kozloff, Tabled: Odd Couples

Joyce Kozloff

24" x 48" x 16 1/2", hand painted glazed ceramic tiles on plywood, coll.

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Joyce Kozloff, Tabled: Foreign Affairs

Joyce Kozloff

48" x 48", hand painted glazed ceramic tiles on plywood

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Nicky Enright, 57 Years Ago

Nicky Enright

acrylic on cardboard, 27” x 22”

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Nicky Enright, Kettling Equals Containment

Nicky Enright

Ink on mylar thermal blanket

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Dread Scott, Turn of the Century

Dread Scott

inkjet print. Included in Black and Blue: Examining Police Violence, 2000. (curated by Nina Felshin)

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Aisha Tandiwe Bell, My fist have been punching the air so long/ a moment in these rays thought waves

Aisha Tandiwe Bell

9”x 12” x 3 “ clay, enamel, metal leaf, and acrylic on wood

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Aisha Tandiwe Bell, drip sweat sweet candy cane strips like blood or prison

Aisha Tandiwe Bell

9”x 12” x 3 “ clay, enamel, metal leaf, and acrylic on wood

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Marvin Toure, BIG CRY

Marvin Toure

Thermoplastic Adhesive, Acrylic Paint, Plastic, Glitter 10in x 5in x 13in

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Emmalene Blake, His Name Was George Floyd

Emmalene Blake

Dublin, mural

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Nate Lewis, Probing the Land IV

Nate Lewis

Hand-sculpted inkjet print, ink, graphite, frottage, 44h x 62w in, Private collection, Image courtesy of the artist and Fridman Gallery

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Vincent Valdez, The City I

Vincent Valdez

oil on canvas, 34 x 360 in, 2016, detail, Purchased by Blanton Museum of Art, University of Texas, Austin, image courtesy of the artist and David Shelton Gallery

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Vincent Valdez, The City II

Vincent Valdez

oil on canvas, 34 x 90 in, Purchased by Blanton Museum of Art, University of Texas, Austin, image courtesy of the artist and David Shelton Gallery

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Ruhee Maknojia, Swallow

Ruhee Maknojia,

oil on wood, 4 x 3

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Ruben Natal-San Miguel, Negesti

Ruben Natal-San Miguel

dye sublimation on aluminum, 24 x 24 inches, edition of 3, image courtesy of the artist and Postmasters Gallery

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Shirien Damra, George Floyd

Shirien Damra

image courtesy of the artist

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Shirien Damra, Breonna

Shirien Damra

image courtesy of the artist

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Courtney Ahn,  A Guide To White Privilege

Courtney Ahn

digital print

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Cecile Chong, Day in Court

Cecile Chong

encaustic and mixed media on wood, 40 x 20 in

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Nick Cave, Bob Faust, Amends

Nick Cave, Bob Faust

community-based art project, presented by Facility, Chicago, IL - photos courtesy by James Prinz Photography

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Nicole Royer, Just

Nicole Royer

watercolour, gouache and pencil on paper, 22 x 15 in

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Nicole Royer, Stones to Flowers

Nicole Royer

watercolour, gouache and pencil on paper, 46 x 46 in

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Stanwyck Cromwell, My Soul Says Yes

Stanwyck Cromwell

Collage on illustration board, 24 x 30 in

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Stanwyck Cromwell, My Message To You

Stanwyck Cromwell

Collage on illustration board, 24 x 30 in

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Patrick Martinez,  Racism Doesn’t Rest During A Pandemic Pee Chee (No Justice No Peace)

Patrick Martinez

Bic pen, stickers, acrylic, white out on found pee chee folder, 12 x 9.5 inches folded, framed, image courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery, LA

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Josh Weber, Lynched

Josh Weber

digital print - Curated by Jessica Olivier, MA Art History, Florida Atlantic University, FL

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Phoebe Godfrey, Adam Swipes Out the Animals

Phoebe Godfrey

mixed media (oil paint, collage, tempera paint, resin and plastic insects)

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Juanita Lanzo, Love Takes Off Masks

Juanita Lanzo

watercolor pencil on watercolor paper, 18 x 24 in

Juanita Lanzo, Brown and Purple Cohabitation

Juanita Lanzo

watercolor pencil on watercolor paper, 18 x 24 in

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Angela Siao, A Garden Within Reach

Angela Siao

Watercolor with ink lining - Curated by Jessica Olivier, MA Art History, Florida Atlantic University, FL

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Dominique Roberts, A video

Dominique Roberts

video - Curated by Jessica Olivier, MA Art History, Florida Atlantic University, FL

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Dane Adrian Smith, Angel Black

Dane Adrian Smith

c-prints - Curated by Jessica Olivier, MA Art History, Florida Atlantic University, FL

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Roderrick Davis, We went from shackes to handcuffs but now the revolution is coming

Roderrick Davis

paint on canvas - Curated by Jessica Olivier, MA Art History, Florida Atlantic University, FL

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Viviane Rombaldi Seppey,  Fragile

Viviane Rombaldi Seppey

hand cut atlas page (the world), glass dome, wire, plastic base, 8 x 7 in

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Suzanne Broughel,  99 and 44/100% Pure

Suzanne Broughel

Ivory Soap & African Black Soap, 2" x 3.75" × 1"

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Beatrice Coron, Three Queens (Idia, Mamiwatai & B)

Beatrice Coron

hand cut-out tyvek, edition of 3, 78 x 25

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Edra Soto, Let Love Win

Edra Soto

Let Love Win

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Edra Soto, Riah Milton

Edra Soto

Riah Milton

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Drawing and writings by inmates from Garner Correctional Institution, CT

Drawing and writings by inmates from Garner Correctional Institution, CT

contributed by Chris Belden, instructor of creative writing at Garner Correctional Institutions, CT

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Helina Metaferia, Headdress 6

Helina Metaferia

mixed media collage, 23 x 28 in

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Felandus Thames,  Can’t I Breathe

Felandus Thames

beard brushes on primed panel board, 24 x 18 x 4 in, image courtesy of the artist and Myrtis Gallery, Baltimore, MD

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Gail Gelburd, WHITE SILENCE

Gail Gelburd

From the Protestor Series, 2020, mixed media, digital photograph on fabric, molded with wax and paint, 60 x 20 x 3 in

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