Jesse Howard: America Unrest Sole
@ Harold Washington College President's Gallery
30 E Lake St, Chicago, IL 60601
On view through Tuesday, September 26th
From August 17 to September 26, 2023, the President’s Gallery will host Jesse Howard’s solo exhibition, America Unrest Sole, a collection of hauntingly beautiful, exaggerated portraits of people Howard documents from his old neighborhood, Chicago’s West Side.
When asked to make a statement on this exhibition, Howard responded: “I periodically visit my old neighborhood and feel motivated to tell the story of African Americans that have been neglected in history despite our many accomplishments. The stories of African Americans navigating through a systemic system should be told and depicted. I go beyond the negative and showcase the culture in all its beauty, reality, and essence. I’m not really interested in recreating a likeness of the people and illustrating their environment, but to capture their stress and pressures that make up their physical existence.”
Howard continued, “Some African Americans live in an impoverished environment with very little hope and no means to escape. While these conditions can often have a negative impact it helped to lay the foundation for my art and develop my voice. This body of work shows a celebration of humanity. Although one may feel there is no way out – there is life, such as black women enjoying a moment posing for selfies. While there is police brutality and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within a community one functions as best they can and makes the most
out of negative circumstances.”
The reception for the exhibition will be held in the President’s Gallery (11th Floor) on Wednesday, September 13 from 10am – 12pm, featuring an artist lecture from Howard from 10am – 11am. This event is free and open to the public – all are welcome!
For more information about the exhibition, visit the President’s Gallery Instagram page at
https://www.instagram.com/hwcpresidentsgallery/ or email Anna Pontius at apontius@ccc.edu.
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Tags: America Unrest Sole, Harold Washington College, Jesse Howard, Loop
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