Art Encounters
Ally is a Verb
What is an ally? Is it someone who sympathizes with the struggles of marginalized groups? Is it a moniker they add to their identity to let others know they are in favor of a cause? The word ally comes from the Latin word alligare, meaning to bind. It is an act. It is a verb. Being an ally is a commitment to walking alongside those who are experiencing oppression and shouldering their burden. It is a commitment to listening and de-centering yourself from the issue. Allyship is not about playing spokesperson or hero, but rather about being an advocate that extends their privilege in order to amplify the voice of the marginalized in their own words.
In tandem with the 2021 Rollins College Common Read theme, activism & allyship, this exhibition examines the deeply personal work of artists belonging to communities facing different forms of discrimination. Works by Nick Cave, Nina Chanel Abney, Yoan Capote and Elsa María Meléndez consider the experiences of racism, homophobia, sociopolitical control, and body politics from places of vulnerability and anxiety.
This exhibition invites visitors to listen to the lived experiences of those in the community and share their own through oral recordings via a sound booth located within the gallery.
See the 360-degree virtual view of this exhibition.
