-Critical Connections-
New exhibition in partnership with Blasian March highlights Black and Asian solidarity through historic and modern protest photography
Pace University Art Gallery presents Critical Connections: Protest Photography Past + Present, in collaboration with Blasian March — a movement designed to create Black and Asian solidarity through mutual education and celebration. The exhibition opens with a free public reception on Thursday, November 14, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The exhibit features the work of three contemporary photographers Stas Ginzburg, Josh Pacheco, and Cindy Trinh, who have extensively documented Blasian March. Their work is presented alongside historic images from the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam War protests, which they drew from the George Stephanopoulos Collection of news photography at Pace.
These connections span not only time, but ideas; intimate community conversations, theories, dreams, organizing out of the public eye. Those stepping stones are the real connections, which is why I chose to create this container of chaos. The red lines darting around the walls and across the space act as a visual representation of how the past can correlate with the present as well as contradict depending on the information that’s given. It’s also why I included an interactive element.
Viewers are able to attach moments of solidarity, intersectionality, hope, calls to action, as well as provide additional info onto the walls of the project itself. Truth is not singular, although it should be as objective as possible, is ultimately subjective to the truth teller and we are able to arrive at a greater truth when perspectives are considered as a community. These events depicted in these historical photographs as well as our own often are weaponized to be divisive, but we are far more connected than we realize and in that realization can the people derive their power and unite.
