AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS.- The University Gallery presents "The Culture of Violence," an exhibition that examines the pervasive manifestations of violence as reflected in contemporary American art and culture. Spanning the last 20 years, the exhibition presents a broad, multicultural view of this disturbingly widespread phenomenon through the work of 25 artists in all media. The Culture of Violence was organized by guest curators Donna Harkavy and Helaine Posner and will be on view at the University Gallery from February 2 through March 15, and April 2 through May 17, 2002.
In conjunction with the current exhibit, The Culture of Violence and the film series At Human Cost, the University Gallery, with cosponsorship from Amnesty International, will present a symposium on Thursday, April 24 from 4 to 6 pm in the University Gallery. Cultural Violence: A Panel Discussion Exploring American Violence and its Historical Roots will provide a venue for discussion, education, and healing in the face of numerous forms of violence that surround us. The six panelists, Arlene Avakian, Alex Deschamps, John Bracey, Kristin Bumiller, Erica Scharrer, and Ventura Perex will speak about the complex web of intricately woven experiences which are manifested in violence.
The subject of violence, always one of the most compelling issues on the minds of Americans, has become painfully relevant since the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11. Devastated by terrorist acts committed within our borders, alarmed by mass killings in the schools and at the workplace, and mindful of rampant domestic violence, our consciousness is saturated with violent images. Though we have been chastened by recent events and claim to deplore our fascination with violent themes, we continue to seek them out and reward those who purvey them in news coverage, the movies, popular music and video games.
The Culture of Violence looks at the cultural, social, political and personal aspects of violence in America with the intentions of posing significant questions that encourage dialogue, possibly leading to greater understanding. The exhibition contains a number of thematic categories such as terrorism, hate crimes, youth violence, domestic violence and street crime, among others, which cut across class, color and gender. The strategies and viewpoints of the participating artists reflect this diversity, and affirm the widely held belief that artists are the conscience of the society in which they live.
