The provocative artwork of Justseeds Cooperative, a decentralized radical arts organization founded in 1998 by New York activist, designer, artist, author and curator Josh MacPhee, aims to address political and cultural concerns by placing them in the public eye.
MacPhee and the Justseeds Cooperative, which now includes 20 artists from across America, bring their unique brand of social protest to UW-Milwaukee's Union Art Gallery in an exhibition opening March 5. "Which Side Are You On?" uses the multiple mediums of printmaking, sculpture, wall drawings and videos, and also includes a public art component that will be exhibited throughout the city. Fifteen members of the Justseeds Cooperative will travel to Milwaukee to present this site-specific installation created exclusively for UWM.
"Which Side Are You On?" focuses on walls or barriers that divide nations, neighborhoods and man from nature-all examples of silent segregation often unobserved. One example demonstrates how freeways can destroy residential areas in urban settings. Two Milwaukee printmakers, Colin Matthes and Nicholas Lampert, contribute their expertise to this all-encompassing art exhibit that features recyclables and found objects.
The task at hand in the run-up to the exhibition will be coordinating each individual's perspective and artwork into a cohesive presentation in only five days, with artists working perhaps 20 hours each day.
"This is a compelling challenge to build something together, all 15 of us," Lampert remarks. "The exhibition will greatly evolve as we keep building and respond to it."
The opening reception takes place on March 5, from 5 to 8 p.m.; a March 3 preview at 5 p.m. offers the public an opportunity for a walk-through, with each artist available for discussion. In another opening event, taking place in the UWM Union's Fireside Lounge on March 2 at 7 p.m., MacPhee speaks to the historical relevance of activist art and printmaking throughout the world. Capping the week, he offers an afternoon printmaking workshop on March 7 to those interested in creating their own artistic protest.
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To register for the workshop, call (414) 229-5535. Visit www.justseeds.org for information about the cooperative.
