Art and Activism exhibition premieres at Fighting Bob Fest September 13

Artist Kelly Parks Snider presents an exhibition of art and commentary on Saturday, September 13, as part of Fighting Bob Fest 2014. The exhibition, entitled Art and Activism: Hidden in Plain Sight, pairs original artwork by Parks Snider with writings by respected activists on topics related to human rights, environmental justice, income inequality and the abuse of power. It runs from 8:30 am to 5 pm at the Sauk County Fairgrounds with an Art Talk by the artist at 12:30 pm.

Art and Activism features short essays on the range of social justice topics that the artist interprets in sculpture, collage, tapestry, drawing, painting and other media. The project uses the immediacy of art and compelling observations on current events to present a fresh perspective on issues of urgency.

Contributing writers include Jacquelyn L. Boggess, Lisa Graves, Robert McChesney, John Nichols, David Pate, Matthew Rothschild, Martin Scanlan, Melissa K. Scanlan and Inger L. Stole. Rothschild, Senior Editor of The Progressive, calls the exhibition “innovative and ambitious,” a project where the artist “holds nothing back.”

Parks Snider says she conceived Art and Activism as a way to slow the pace of news and media messages that assault people from all sides. “Words and visuals come together here in surprising ways that I hope spark recognition and sometimes raise a smile,” the Madison-based artist says of the collaborative project. “I invite viewers to draw their own conclusions and walk away inspired to act.” 

Parks Snider is co-founder of Art in Action, Inc., a nonprofit organization that uses art to promote social change. Project Girl (http://www.projectgirl.org) is an example of Art in Action that focuses on youth-led activism around media literacy.

Learn more about the Bob Fest appearance, the exhibition and the artist at http://www.hidden-in-plain-sight.org.