Art and Soul Circle: Reflecting on the questions that unfold from the art (collaborative circle conversation is facilitated by Rev. Wendy Miller Olapade

Cohosted by the artists (below) and Arts Collaborative Medford

Free & Open to the public

The artist’s books in this exhibition are containers of visual stories exploring subjects that are very personal and deeply political.

Here you have artists who start with their own experience of existing within their bodies, and journaling their lives. Others expand into their immediate communities, write down stories to document and expose their culture. Some use fiction, mythical heroes and anti-heroes, involved in allegorical stories reflecting our political climate.

These artists are also brilliant designers who let the concept drive the shape of the page. In their books, meaning is created in the space between the image and the text. They demand that you be an active reader, and viewer, as the imagery goes beyond illustrating the text, and the text is not a caption for the images.

At a time when we continuously consume information and entertainment on the screen, the visual creations here are shaped into physical paper books, a recognizable, easily accessible and affordable art form. It’s impossible not to stop by the bookshop!

curated by Chantal Zakari ft. artists

Shaheed Abdullah @shaheedabdullah7
Zoya Amrit @tanvi_amrit
Jamie Atchinson @ok_kiddo_
Joy Bedford @hi.im.joi
Valerie Cervantes @valerie.cerv
Rayya Check @rayya_chek
Clara Davis @claradavis.ai
Daniela Gonzalez @daniela.phtos
Freya Gupta @ffsfreya
McCall Hollister @mccall.holly
Ethan LeBlanc @ethansleblanc
Leyla Mandel @leylamandel
Annabel Nied @annabelnied
Eve Sage @eve.sage.art
John Sanchez @john_sanchez_2024
Emrys Schweber @art_ducky_
Saeroi Yune @saeroiyune