Exhibition Dates: June 7th - July 7th, 2024
Reception Date: Saturday, June 15th, 2024
Location: Walls for Justice Gallery, Cherry Street Pier, 141 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia
Point of Entry is a series of oil paintings depicting people’s scars and sites of somatic healing. Each intimate portrait is painted on a piece of broken mirror, allowing the viewer to see themselves reflected within. Together these pieces allude to being part of a larger, imperfect mosaic of community and invites the viewer to glimpse into a life outside their own and see a part of themselves.
Point of Entry seeks to amplify narratives from marginalized communities that disproportionately experience mental illness, but whose stories are vastly underrepresented in our conversations about mental health. In light of this mission, the project is collaborating with Women Against Abuse, Philadelphia’s leading domestic and intimate partner violence advocate and service provider and among the largest domestic violence agencies in the country.
This project intends to enrich community discussions of domestic and intimate partner violence while also portraying stories of how people heal, illuminating how we connect with others and hold space for their experiences. Butterflies created by visitors will be intertwined throughout the exhibition, representing the color and resilience we possess. Vulnerabilities are universal yet idiosyncratic; more, they are seeds from which beauty creatively emerges.
Special thanks to Women Against Abuse and Niki DelRossi for their support of this project. We'd like to also thank The Puffin Foundation Ltd. for their support of this project