Hard to Kill
Artwork by Survivors of Sexual Violence
Hard to Kill: Artwork by Survivors of Sexual Violence
Hard to Kill: Artwork by Survivors of Sexual Violence was inspired by conversations I had with leading curators and artists during my time as a graduate student, working on my thesis on how prevalent such abuses are in our society today. During my studies, prevalent voices in the art world dismissed my concerns or tried to steer my voice in a more vague direction.
There could be many reasons for their advice, but what was consistent was how uncomfortable they were with the topic of sexual violence. I have always believed that art could be a vehicle for awareness, so the numerous suggestions to make my work less about sexual abuse and more about generalized traumatic experiences didn’t sit right with me. Sexual abuse is prevalent in our society, as 1 in 6 women, 1 in 10 men, and 1 in 5 of those in the transgender community will encounter such abuse in their lifetimes (SOURCE: rainn.org). With statistics like this that point to a larger problem, I knew my voice wasn’t the only one out there, which is how Hard to Kill came to fruition.
The show featured 26 artists from around the United States and included photography, poetry, performance, film, video, painting, sculpture, and drawing. The opening and closing were packed as community members came to listen to artists present on their work and show their solidarity for survivors. Art is a vehicle for awareness, especially for difficult to discuss topics like sexual violence, and awareness paves the way for lasting change.
- Danielle Elaine Owensby
Artists
Anneasha Hogan, Ashley Giles, Azul Nogueron, Bill Davis, Carole McCurdy, Deva Suckerman, Geordi Helmick, Jana Dean, Jenna Jo Pawlicki, Jessica Brackett, Kaiden Dunn, Katina Bitsicas, Megumi Naganoma, Myah Brimmer, Nicole Foran, Oaklee Thiele, Rabia Tayyabi, Rachel Korotkin, Sara Peak Convery, Steve Smith, Tacie Jones, Ty Merton, Yvette Cummings