Traveling art show raises awareness for Equal Rights Amendment

Mackenzie Meleski, Contributing Writer

An art show raising awareness for the Equal Rights Amendment will be making a stop at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.

VoteEquality partnered with the Virginia Museum of History and Culture to bring Artists4ERA to Richmond. The event raises awareness of “the effort to add gender equality to the U.S. Constitution with the Equal Rights Amendment,” according to the Artists4ERA website. Over 30 artists created unique pieces out of a wide variety of mediums specifically for the event.

The opening reception will take place on Feb. 17 at 7 p.m., while the exhibition will be up at the museum until April 2. VoteEquality program coordinator Jessica Kujala said the show is meant to bring new imagery to the Equal Rights Amendment.

Kujala worked with VoteEquality program director Liza Mickens and local artist and activist Nico Cathart to find artists for the event. Kujala said that their focus was on finding artists that represent the diversity of the world today and allowing everyone to be included.

“We really have made sure that our artists are also reflective of the word ‘equality,’” Kujala said. “We wanted to make sure that that message was loud, that it’s not just about one person, it’s about everyone.”

The show focuses on giving a platform to underrepresented groups in the art world. The featured artists come from a variety of different races, genders and backgrounds, according to Kujala. 

Among the featured artists is Jowarnise Caston, a painter from Richmond. Her artist name is Jowarnise — she created a piece specifically for Artists4ERA titled “Equality Rising for Voices Unheard.”

Using acrylic paints, Jowarnise conveys themes of race and identity drawn from her own experiences.

“I’m hoping this will start some new conversations that need to be held to make the right changes that we need and that everyone can make,” Jowarnise said.

Also featured in the art show is VCUarts fashion professor Michael-Birch Pierce. In addition to teaching at VCU, they own and operate a gallery in Richmond that creates fine art embroidery pieces to be sold and displayed throughout the world.

Carhart invited Pierce to be a part of Artists4ERA after collaborating together in the past. 

“I think that they [guests] are gonna see some works that inspires them and challenges them and makes them want to get engaged in a movement for gender equality and for protecting our rights,” Pierce said.

Pierce contributes a piece titled “All of Us” made from velvet that uses couture Irish embroidery techniques to create figure images. 

“It’s got four different figures of different gender presentations that are all nude and floating through like a sea of velvet rhinestones,” Pierce said. 

In addition to showcasing original pieces, artists will sell original prints of their artworks to raise money for VoteEquality, according to Kujala. 20 of the featured artists plan to attend the opening event and answer guests’ questions. 

“It will just be a really educational but yet again, joyful event to celebrate all that we’ve done and to say, ‘how do we continue to lead the charge to ensure the publication of the era in the U.S. Constitution?’” Kujala said.