Petersburg artist Aimee Joyaux with a poster from her "Lady Liberty in Distress" series, on view this weekend at Quirk Gallery (Photo by Nastacia Nickolaou)
The downtown Arts District will be a hotbed of expression this weekend, encompassing art, politics and community engagement. Art in Action, a pop-up event presented by Quirk Gallery, 1708 Gallery and Studio Two Three and featuring artist Aimee Joyaux, will take place at Quirk Gallery June 23-26. Quirk plans to donate 15 percent of the weekend's proceeds to Virginians for the Arts (VFTA), a nonprofit organization that provides leadership to promote Virginia’s art industry.
The event kicks off Friday, June 23, and Joyaux’s protest poster series, “Lady Liberty in Distress,” will be on display and available for purchase. The politically charged series advocates for human rights and conveys the idea that all Americans are immigrants.
“One half of the inspiration comes from the Women’s March [on Washington] and the other half comes from desperation,” Joyaux explains. She says that after the 2016 elections she felt “sucker-punched,” and for her, the series was a form of art therapy.
Joyaux says that oftentimes social injustices influence artists to use their hands to express themselves. But, for her, to see all types people from around the world, who are not necessarily artists, feel compelled to create protest signs “was a not only a beautiful thing but also an alarming thing.”
Triggered by the increasing polarity in political discourse, she created 150 screen-printed protest posters within a month.
Joyaux’s designs focus on the symbolism associated with the Statue of Liberty because the monument greets millions of immigrants hoping for new opportunities and a better life in America. But Joyaux says that now “times have changed.” Her work borrows the image of upside-down flags as symbols of distress against the government.
With these designs, she hopes to spread the message that we all must participate. “Simply put, we must be the change,” Joyaux says.
1 of 6
Posters from artist Aimee Joyaux's "Lady Liberty in Distress" series, on display this weekend at Quirk Gallery (Images courtesy the artist)
2 of 6
3 of 6
4 of 6
5 of 6
6 of 6
Also a part of the weekend's events, 1708 Gallery host its ongoing “3 x 3: Summer Sessions” exhibition, running through Aug. 5. The program encourages community engagement, and the public is invited to create and contribute. Projects in the exhibition explore issues of regional water rights, urban landscapes and immigration.
Studio Two Three, a nonprofit arts organization, has a new mobile printing studio that will be parked on Broad Street near Quirk Gallery from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Prints with specially designed “I [heart] the arts” will be available for purchase and made on-site.
From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m Saturday, Emily Smith, executive director of 1708 Gallery and a VFTA board member, will lead a letter-writing campaign at Quirk promoting arts advocacy. Paper, pens, postcards and stamps will all be provided for interested citizens to ask elected officials to protect and support organizations affected by the proposed federal budget.
To wrap up the weekend, Joyaux will discuss the creation of her work Sunday at noon at Quirk Gallery.
Nearby retailers Ledbury and Verdalina will be supporting cultural arts organizations during the weekend, too, with 5 percent of Saturday sales going to the VFTA.
