Friday, April 26
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Fonseca-Du Bois Gallery powered by Arte Mexicano en Indiana
Indianapolis Liberation Center
“The value of culture as an element of resistance to foreign domination lies in the fact that culture is the vigorous manifestation on the ideological or idealist plane of the physical and historical reality of the society that is dominated or to be dominated. Culture is simultaneously the fruit of a people’s history and a determinant of history.”
Amílcar Cabral, “National liberation and culture,” delivered at Syracuse University in 1970
We are thrilled to invite our people to the opening reception of “Whispers of Change” by artist 31 Woman at the Fonseca-Du Bois Gallery powered by Arte Mexicano en Indiana at the Indianapolis Liberation Center. The month-long show by the award-winning activist, author, and digital artist 31 Woman, or Charlotte L. Brown Parrott, is the next installment in our Fourth Fridays series, “Unleashing the Creativity of the Masses.”
In line with the opening quotation by the great African revolutionary Amílcar Cabral, 31 Woman uses contemporary determinations of history, most notably “artificial intelligence,” to help determine the course of history. More specifically, “Whispers of Change” uses AI to produce an immersive environment that sounds out the silent power of art to communicate meaning and inspire transformation.
Charlotte’s innovative approach to digital artistry, combined with her mastery of color and form, invites viewers into a dialogue of growth, connection, and understanding. This exhibition also features contributions from her artist friends, who share her vision of art as a catalyst for change. Together, they present a unified front of creativity and hope, demonstrating the collective impact of art on societal dialogue and personal healing.
Charlotte makes art as a process to heal herself and share it in a communal way, drawing attention towards healing in community with others as a better way to heal oneself and strengthen the tools against oppression and detrimental societal behavior. Healing goes beyond the individual act of self care. Charlotte’s use of playful colors and featuring Black women displaying their power as actors actively involved in our collective liberation.
“Whispers of Change” is not just an exhibition; it’s a movement utilizing art and technology to foster conversations that matter, connecting us deeper with the world and each other. Portions of proceeds will benefit her program, “Me Too Chronicles.”
Culture: A weapon in the struggle for freedom
“The time is past when, in an effort to perpetuate the domination of a people, culture was considered an attribute of privileged peoples or nations, and when, out of either ignorance or malice, culture was confused with technical power, if not with skin color or the shape of one’s eyes.”
Amílcar Cabral, ‘National liberation and culture,’ 1970.
Culture is a weapon in the struggle for liberation and freedom, and one of the primary obstacles the oppressed face is the notion that “art” or “culture” is something accessible only to an elite few. Thus, the reason the Fonseca-Du Bois Gallery’s monthly art opening and exhibit on the Fourth Friday of every month is organized around the slogan, “Unleashing the Creativity of the Masses.”
At the Fonseca-Du Bois Gallery powered by Arte Mexicano en Indiana, art is a weapon of the masses in our struggle for freedom, a struggle we will win!
