The Art of State Street: Politics, Policing, and Protest

In the wake of the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police, artists and activists took to the streets to protest for racial justice.  They created art as part of the protest, lining the boarded-up store fronts with visual memorials and calls to action. This virtual Humanities NOW event brings together in conversation two of these artists with UW-Madison faculty from the Art Department and the Chazen Museum.  What role does art play in the contested public spaces of our communities? How does art shape social consciousness?  How might we view the aesthetics of protest?  

Please join us to hear from artists Shiloah Symone Coley (2022 MFA candidate, American University), Taj Matumbi (2021 MFA candidate, UW-Madison), and Yorel Lashley (Director of Arts, UW-Madison). The conversation will be moderated by Amy Gilman, Director of the Chazen Museum of Art, and Faisal Abdu’Allah, Professor of Art and Faculty Director of The Studio at UW-Madison. We’ll also have ample time for Q&A with the artists and moderators. 

Co-sponsored by the UW-Madison Division of the Arts.

Please register in advance for this conversation.

The event photo, featuring a piece by Shiloah Symone Coley, is provided by Nithin Charlly.