Jimmy Nunn Jr., Cait Snyder, Tucker Broadbooks, David Rush, Caroline Brown, Morgan Pigott, August Stromberger, Mary Johnson, Megan McGee, Sophia Hall

Voter suppression has a longstanding history in our country and the deliberate, yet insidious attempts to disenfranchise voters have only become more explicit and aggressive. Since January 2021, 19 states have enacted over 30 laws that make it harder for Americans to vote. Many of these laws not only restrict access to the polls, but leverage the threat of criminal charges to intimidate citizens from participating in the electoral process. Although many states have recently passed more expansive laws, our research indicates that access to voting continues to depend on who you are and where you live. As a part of our African American art course, we have partnered with Golden Artist Colors Inc. to plan an art exhibition exploring this issue. New artworks will be created by a carefully curated selection of artists examining the historical and increasingly present barriers people face when voting. This exhibition opens only months before the 2023 general elections at the Same & Adele Golden Gallery in New Berlin, NY. Viewers will be invited to contemplate the individual and national importance of our democracy, the power of voting, and the laws and legislation that have a major impact on why we do and don’t vote. A decision to exclusively feature artists of color reflects our intention to promote the perspectives of people who have been most affected negatively by voting laws. To maximize our outreach and further our mission, the show will travel to several institutions during the race for the 2024 presidential election. Additionally, we are planning to release an exhibition catalog and a series of public programing to supplement the show.