Aug 16 - 27 2019
AMERICA'S WELL ARMED MILITIAS

AMERICA'S WELL ARMED MILITIAS

Presented by SPACES at SPACES

Ratified by Congress in 1791, the Second Amendment empowered state militias and ensured the federal government could not disarm citizens. Since then, the Second Amendment has been challenged from various perspectives, including those who consider a “well-regulated militia” as a states’ rights issue and those who see it as guaranteeing the individual’s right to own and carry firearms in expanding circumstances.

America’s Well-Armed Militias examines the entwined histories of American culture, social movements, and gun use. Six artists trace the influence of firearms—from national independence to present day—and consider what compels specific groups of civilians to arm themselves. Through newly commissioned works, participating artists address how the Second Amendment has been interpreted by and applied to different groups of people, and how the forces of rugged individualism, civil rights, border security, economic distress, and self-defense complicate our understanding of this issue.

Participating artists:
Matthew Deibel (Cleveland, OH) – Stand-your-ground
Michelle Graves (Chicago, IL) – Firearms in schools
DantéRodriguez (Cleveland, OH) – U.S./Mexico border militias
Darius Steward (Cleveland, OH) – Black Panthers
Jared Thorne (Columbus, OH) – Gangs
Nikki Woods (Cleveland, OH) – Westward expansion

Curated by:
Christina Vassallo
Megan Young
Karl Anderson

 

Pictured above: Nikki Woods- Gun Study, Ink on Paper, 2019

Admission Info

Opening reception: Friday, August 16, 6 PM – 9 PM

Dates & Times

2019/08/16 - 2019/08/27

Location Info

SPACES