PRESS
ArteFuse
Liz Daly’s Cultural Digest
El Diario NY
Huffington Post
Exhibition Artists: Ebtisam Abdulaziz, Beverly Acha, Eddie Rodolfo Aparicio, Laura Arena, Anthea Behm, Yael Ben-Zion, Justin Blinder, Serra Victoria Bothwell Fels, Michele Brody, Hector Canonge, Cori Champagne, Cecile Chong, Esperanza Cortés, Linda Cunningham, Donald Daedalus, Ana De La Cueva, Alexis Duque, Carla Edwards, Nicky Enright, Jes Fan, Borinquen Gallo, Rebecca Graves, Katya Grokhovsky, Jon Henry, Peter Hoffmeister, Las Hermanas Iglesias, Jang soon Im, Ellie Irons and Anne Percoco (Next Epoch Seed Library), Sara Jimenez, Tahir Karmali, Shaun Leonardo, Monika Malewska,Yasmin Mistry, Guadalupe Maravilla (formally known as Irvin Morazan), Rachelle Mozman, Marcus Moore (the Homeless Poet), Christie Neptune, Quyên Nguyen-Le, Tara Pelletier & Jeff Kurosaki, Kenneth Pietrobono, Sunita Prasad, DaaPo Reo, David Rios Ferreira, Patrice Robinson, Diana Schmertz, Jessica Segall, Sayaka Suzuki, Jess X. Snow, Zhiyuan Yang, Seldon Yuan, Karolina Ziulkoski & Andrea Wolf
UPROOT presents the work of artists who are urgently engaging with the current state of affairs since the 2016 presidential election. Over the past year, artists have been motivated to use their creative practice as a vehicle for challenging the divisiveness of the present administration. This exhibition presents an array of responses to the political climate, including art objects, installations, videos, performances, and public programs that address pressing themes, such as migration and displacement, systemic racism, creative action, environmental justice, and the influential role of digital media in shaping national politics. Some artists are confronting important topics headlong, producing compelling protest art. Others are expressing their beliefs more subtly, attempting to make sense of complicated issues and uncovering suppressed narratives. If the definition of uproot is to pull up by the roots; to tear away from a native place or environment; to displace, as from a home or country, then these artists’ works reflect the desire for a shift or movement toward inclusiveness and finding some common ground.In these troubling, uncertain times, it remains important to turn to artists and creative thinkers for guidance. Their energy and ideas are more crucial than ever.
This exhibition is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, New York City Council Member Stephen Levin, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and with generous support from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, The Robert Lehman Foundation, Iorio Charitable Foundation, Select Equity Group Foundation, many individuals and Smack Mellon’s Members.
Smack Mellon’s programs are also made possible with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and with generous support from The New York Community Trust, The Roy and Niuta Titus Foundation, Jerome Foundation, The Greenwich Collection Ltd, Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation Inc., Brooklyn Arts Council, and Exploring The Arts.
Space for Smack Mellon’s programs is generously provided by the Walentas family and Two Trees Management.
