The Hood Museum of Art’s exhibition current exhibition, ¡Printing the Revolution! The Rise and Impact of Chicano Graphics, 1965 to Now, traces the history of printmaking and the vital role Chicano graphics played in early social movements. The exhibition, originally organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum, focuses on the power of printmaking as a tool to channel social and political activism, featuring works from a range of time periods and artists. Hood Museum curators Michael Hartman, Jonathan Little Cohen Associate Curator of American Art, and Beatriz Yanes Martinez, Hood Museum Board of Advisors Mutual Learning Fellow, served as in-house curators for the traveling exhibition.
A standout of the exhibition is Oree Originol’s Justice for Our Lives, a digital portrait series honoring 100 victims of police brutality who were killed by US law enforcement. Oree was on campus the week of January 16, 2023, to install the work. During that time he also met with several classes and student groups to talk about Justice for Our Lives and his broader, social justice-focused artistic practice.
The power of Justice for Our Lives lies not only in its overarching message, but also in its execution. The design is simplistic, yet impactful, consisting of large-scale prints with bold lines and vibrant colors that are inviting to the eye. These portraits serve as emblems of those whose lives were taken at the hands of state violence.
Hartman explained that the theme of the installation is conveyed through the use of striking visuals and thought-provoking images that shed light on the experiences of individuals and communities affected by these issues.
“This is originally just a black and white piece of paper, so he is now printing these images on colored paper and arranging them very specifically,” Hartman said. “But the ones found on his website are open source––you can print them out on any color paper, but originally intended to just be white computer paper, so it is very accessible. Anyone can use it. Anyone can post it up outside. He was originally doing it to advocate for justice against law enforcement brutality.”
Originol’s digital series is a prime example of the power of printmaking to address the social and political issues that communities of color face in the United States today. The repeated images that make up this portrait group invoke a sense of urgency and serve as a call to action for viewers to demand change.
When discussing the Hood Museum of Art’s display of Justice for Our Lives, Yanes Martinez highlighted the significance of Originol’s artwork as a traveling art exhibit, as it provides curators with more liberty in the installation process, while remaining true to the pivotal themes of the show.
“I think one of the things that’s really exciting about traveling shows is that they are able to take the work that the curators have done at their own institution, but then also try to translate that vision into the galleries that we have within the museum,” Yanes Martinez said. “I think with that, Originol’s piece speaks to the way in which art can be modified to fit different walls in the different iterations of the shelves.”
The versatility behind the Originol’s show also speaks to the origins of the project, as Justice for Our Lives was originally meant to be displayed on the streets, bringing attention to the devastating effects of police brutality and systemic racism on communities of color.
(Above: Watch a time-lapse video of artist Oree Originol install his work Justice for Our Lives at the Hood Museum of Art in January 2023.)
As a teenager growing up in Los Angeles, Originol was heavily immersed in the city’s street and graffiti cultures, both of which influence his work. As the exhibition gained wider recognition, it transitioned into other forms of display. Although the exhibit has shifted from street art to gallery art, the essence of the series remains intact, and it is still able to convey the same powerful message and impact a wide range of audiences.
Justice for Our Lives is more than just a traveling art exhibit—it is a powerful platform for marginalized voices and perspectives. Yanes Martinez emphasized that by showcasing these individuals’ stories, the exhibit amplifies their experiences and brings attention to their struggles.
“[This exhibit] asks the installer to really confront the reality of the brutality of law enforcement officers,” Yanes Martinez said. “Being able to work with Originol, as he was telling me stories of people who had reached out to him to create this work, stories of how he was envisioning a project of how it grew, but also in terms of how impactful it was for himself as well, was very impactful for me as well.”
This post was authored by: Paulina Marinkovic Camacho ’23, Levinson Intern
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Paulina ’23, a double major in English and film and media studies at Dartmouth, is from Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Outside of her internship at the Hood Museum of Art, she is a member of Alpha Phi sorority. As a sister, she is involved in the International Student Mentorship Program, is a Sisterhood & New Member Assistant, and is a member of the DEI task force. She is also a staff writer for the Arts Section of The Dartmouth newspaper.
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