“The Change We Want to See”: Artists and Social Transformation
Selections from Mason’s Special Collections Research Center
On view September 5–December 20, 2024
Art is more than a reflection of society: it takes an active role in shaping ideas and beliefs, often with reverberations beyond the artists’ intentions. “The Change We Want to See” examines the relationship between artists and social movements, explored through archives and artifacts from Mason’s Special Collections Research Center.
This exhibit draws together three distinct areas of content from the Libraries’ collections: the Zelda Fichandler papers and the archives of the Arena Stage Theater; a collection of posters from an international tour of George and Ira Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess; and visual art and design related to protest and social justice movements from 1968–2022.
Stages of Integration: In honor of her 100th anniversary, this exhibit chronicles Zelda Fichandler’s journey of growth and action as she led Arena Stage from its creation in the 1950s through the 1990s. With a passion for justice and equality, she knew theater could change the world, and as an administrator, she made sure that it did. Through the decades she listened, learned, and refined her strategy to make her theater a place where all would feel welcome. –Megan Reichelt
Sounds of Resilience: Depictions of Blackness and Social Realities in Porgy and Bess: Robert Breen’s production of the opera Porgy and Bess toured North America, Europe, the Middle East, South America, and the Soviet Union between 1952 and 1956. Six of the eighty-four posters of these tours are on display along with other items. Porgy and Bess–complex, controversial, and at the same time beautiful–allows us to confront prejudice from both historical and contemporary views of intersections of gender, disability, class, and race. –Cindy Badilla-Meléndez
The Conduit and the Electricity: This section examines how artists and designers have addressed intersecting issues of political violence, war, economic disparity, environmental justice, migration, racism, and civil rights. For some, this is predicated on direct action and creating works that communicate clearly across media and physical spaces. For others, the message is conveyed through more abstract or personal forms that memorialize, valorize, or document personal responses long after an event. These works draw attention to ongoing injustices and exploitation, seeking empathy, solidarity, and action even after the cries of a protest fade. –Stephanie Grimm
The Change We Want to See was co-curated by Megan Reichelt (Theater, Dance, and Women & Gender Studies Librarian), Cindy Badilla-Meléndez (Music, Film Studies, and Video Collections Librarian), and Stephanie Grimm (Art and Art History Librarian), with research support from Soojung Paek (MA Arts Management ’24). Additional exhibit support provided by Aven Grote (BFA student, theater) and Special Collections Research Center staff including Amanda Menjivar (Manuscripts and Archives Librarian), Mieko Palazzo (Research Services Coordinator), Megan Glassbrenner (Processing Manager), and Bob Vay (University Archivist).
On view in the Special Collections Research Center gallery from September 5, 2024–December 20, 2024.
