May 20, 2020 | “Pear-Shaped Kings and Orange Presidents: Recognizing Protest Art” 

Artists’ engagement with political and social protest movements is a diverse, vibrant and historically significant topic. This session will reflect specifically on how modern artists – mostly in Europe and the United States – have produced memorable works, in a wide variety of media, to draw attention to injustices and press for change. By initiating the discussion with important examples from the history of art, Derrick Cartwright, PhD, associate professor and director of University Galleries and John Murphy, PhD, Hoehn Curatorial Fellow for Prints and art history lecturer, hope to inspire critical thinking and further conversation about the continued role of artists in protests today.