Bethany Arts Community Presents IMPACT 2022: Art That Bears Witness an Exhibition in Bethany Art Community's Galleries May 20 – June 30

Ossining, NY, May 24, 2022 --(PR.com)-- IMPACT 2022: Art that Bears Witness presents the work of a diverse group of artists working in a wide variety of media that challenges us to (re)consider some of society's toughest issues.

Through the ages, artists have used their creativity to call to action, protest, support, attest, and provoke lasting and meaningful change. Ranging from abstract to more figurative work, from personal to more universal, from literal to more poetic, the artworks in this exhibition invite and engage us to be aware of inequities and systemic institutionalized practices that are racist and oppressive, and that can be abolished.

The works in this exhibition confront issues of racism and discrimination by gender, class and immigration status, and raise awareness of reproductive rights, public health and access, and environmental issues. The artists’ books, collages, drawings, paintings, photography, prints, sculpture, and video boldly, directly, meditatively, and at times with humor, ask us to participate in and take on these timely conversations that are rapidly evolving in the midst of a pandemic, global warming, displacement due to wars and violence, and polarizing ideologies.

This exhibition is especially powerful and unique because of the mix of artists being represented. Selected works represent well-known artists, such as Dotty Attie, John Ahearn and Tom Otterness, alongside pieces by artists who are self-taught and emerging, who have been in one or two gallery shows, and artists with much longer artistic resumes.

Not only does the artwork challenge us to (re)consider some of society's toughest issues of the day, but the show itself provokes us to reconsider how we create exhibitions. We invite the visitor to reflect on the mix of artists being represented and perhaps to question what we all miss in traditionally curated exhibitions.

While the exhibition tackles some of today’s most pressing challenges, it is also hopeful. As Nia Simone wrote so eloquently in her submission while "Racism is a public health crisis, it's also a mental health crisis... 'Blended' (captures the) variety of communities (that) come together to fight the same cause."

Participating artists in this exhibition include Nia Adams, John Ahearn, Lizzy Alejandro, Laura Alvarez, Dotty Attie, Shahaan Azeem, Aileen Bassis, Edward Bear Miller, Stacy Bogdonoff, Michele Brody, Suzanne Broughel, Aleathia Brown, Maryanne Buschini, Kevin Byrd, Brett De Palma, Nicky Enright, Patricia Espinosa, Jennifer Figueroa, Coleen Fitzgibbon, Angela Fremont, Susan Hoetzel, Susan Grabel, Tenjin Ikeda, Monique Islam-Salas, Kyung Jeon, Carla Rae Johnson, David Kalal, Ann LaFond, Elain Luther, Katrina Majkut, Cecilia Mandrile & Lynn Bechtold, Tali Margolin, Mary McFerran, Fannie Miller Beard, Marilyn Miller, Edgardo Miranda Rodriguez, Tomo Mori, Taeesha Muhammed, Linda Negrin, James Offenhartz, Tom Otterness, Kristi Pfister, Nelson Santiango, Ameerah Shabazz, Ilse Schreiber-Noll, Arle Skalar- Weinstein, Jean-Marc Superville Sovak, Lynn Tomlison, Keil Troisi, Karen Viola, Tammy Wofsey, and Marcia G. Yerman.

The exhibition has been curated by Juanita Lanzo, a visual artist, art director, educator and independent curator working in the Bronx and living in East Harlem.

This exhibition is a part of Bethany’s Season of Justice, a series of programs that endeavor to deepen our understanding of some of today’s most pressing societal issues.