Curated by Aicha Woods and Dave Coon, “Broad Stripes and Bright Stars” is a new exhibition coming to The Ely Center of Contemporary Art, 51 Trumbull Street, New Haven, CT. It presents 60+ years of artists who have creatively responded to the American Flag. The exhibition highlights both the indelible graphic power of the American Flag and its symbolic use in engagement, resistance and resilience.
Local, acclaimed national and international artists, such as Cey Adams and Helen Zughaib will present artwork. Community engagement events throughout the exhibition will include a short podcast series, performances, youth and veteran engagement and the “Flag Swag” pop-up shop featuring an array of limited edition flag themed multiples by artists.
The show charts the waves of American Flags in protest and in celebration, as well as the pendulum of First Amendment rulings. A quote from the 1974 U.S. Supreme Court case Spencer vs Washington, is the essence of the exhibition; “It might be said that we all draw something from our national symbol, for it is capable of conveying simultaneously a spectrum of meanings”.
A list of participating artists include; Francisco ‘Chico’ Aragao, Tom Strong, Christine Tinsley, Cey Adams, Merritt Johnson, Alteronce Gumby, Lisa Kereszi, Marion Belanger, Annie Thornton, Stephen Shore, John T. Hill, Natalie Baxter, DAZE, Jane Fine, Lex Brown, Michael St. John, Destiny Palmer, Sister Corita Kent, Jay Critchley, Marc Morrel, Sket One, Mauricio Cortes Ortega, Laura Genes, Esperanza Mayobre, Moussa Gueye, Susan Clinard, Azzah Sultan, Ruben Marroquin, Consuelo Jimenez Underwood, The Citizen Project, Robert Longo, James Esber, Caitlin Cherry, Erika Ranee, Natalie Ball, Helen Zughaib, Stanwyck Cromwell, Dooley-O, Josh Griffin, Wayne Koestenbaum, Bean Gilsdorf, Zeph Farmby, Insook Hwang, Noe Jimenez, Phil Knoll, Sue Muskat, Robert D’Allesandro, Tizzy Mills, Paolo Arao, Chen Reichert, Phil Lique, Laura Marsh, Aude Jomini, Gabriella Svenningsen, Karin Schaefer, Jim Martin, Walker Evans, Robert D'Alessandro, Jeff Mueller, Norman Ives, Just Seeds Collective, Jesse Albrecht, Eli Wright, John O’Donnell, Bill Becket, Sven Martson, Carol Diehl, Mark Olshansky, Vandana Jain, Laurel Porcari, Leslie Carmin, The New Haven Museum, Chris Crawford, Price Harrison, Martha Lewis, and Mark Williams.
For more information about “Broad Stripes and Bright Stars” and the Ely Center of Contemporary Arts, contact the center at info@elycenter.org or visit online at http://elycenter.org/