'Suffrage: Inequality. Persistence. Justice.' exhibit honors the 19th Amendment

As the 2020 election nears and the centennial of the passage of the 19th Amendment is being celebrated, the Emily Davis Gallery’s latest exhibition, Suffrage: Inequality. Persistence. Justice. honors the women who fought and continue to fight to protect and defend women’s right to vote. Suffrage: Inequality. Persistence. Justice. presents work from two Myers School of Art alums, Amber Anderson and Shani Richards, and five regional artists, including April Bleakney, Elizabeth Emery, Corrie Slawson, Adrienne Slane, and Rebekah Wilhelm. Suffrage is on display now and will be on view through mid-December.

Myers School of Art alum Amber Anderson contributes photographic pieces documenting Ohio-based suffrage sites and their histories. Shani Richards, another Myers School of Art alum, says, “Art is a reflection of the time we are in.” She contributes a series of brooms that seek to disrupt racial hierarchy using hair as a metaphor for perceived racial difference. Additionally, Richards, a metalsmith, has created a collar in honor of the recently passed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

April Bleakney believes in purpose-driven printmaking and strives to engage the community through the arts. She has contributed two bodies of work for this exhibition. First, the Women’s March Poster Series was developed for the 2017 Women’s March on Washington. Second, her March Series pieces are screen printed and watercolor mixed media pieces. The drawings are based on original photographs from the 2017 Women's March in Washington, D.C., and the 2018 Women's March in Cleveland, Ohio.

Elizabeth Emery and Corrie Slawson have collaborated to produce prints to pay tribute to strong women who have affected change and progress to women’s rights. From Harriet Tubman to Kamala Harris, Emery and Slawson have used screenprint and letterpress to honor the accomplishments of these women.

Adrienne Slane creates hand-cut collages from old illustrations and antique and decorative papers that honor a history of craft practiced by women who were largely denied the opportunity to pursue the recognized fine arts seriously. These women cut and gathered scraps of fabric and paper to create images that reflected their daily lives, their environment, and their folk histories.

Rebekah Wilhelm contributes a fence-like installation representing the underlying structures of barriers that have been and are continuing to be exposed in our world. The fence is intended to be seen as being unearthed from the wall, attached but being exposed.

Please note that attendees are required to maintain social distancing procedures in compliance with CDC recommendations and State of Ohio.

The Emily Davis Gallery is located in Folk Hall, 150 East Exchange St. Akron. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p..m. The gallery will have partial access on Tuesday and Thursday from 2 p.m. to close.

For more information about exhibitions or events, contact 330-972-5950 or emilydavisgallery@gmail.com; or visit the Myers School of Art Emily David Gallery online, or on Facebook.

Media contact: Lisa Craig, 330-972-7429 or lmc91@uakron.edu.