Above: “Pastor Cassie Hartnett” by photographer Chelsea Bradway is part of an exhibit opening in two weeks. (image right is cropped from original photo)
Attleboro Arts Museum is promoting their upcoming exhibit “8 Visions”. The exhibition is of “Work from 8 Juried Member Artists”. One of them is Southborough’s Chelsea Bradway.
The press release explains that over 50 artists applied to be part of the exhibit. Eight talented artists were selected, “Working in a broad range of disciplines and concepts”. Bradway was one of them. A collection of her photographs will be on display.
These aren’t the same photos or themes as ones displayed in Southborough last month. Bradways’ new exhibit focuses on censorship. It was inspired by another artist.
The museum’s release explains that Rebecca McGee Tuck was recently forced to censor her art in a public venue. In frustration, she reacted by making a “Censor Sash to drape over her forbidden work.” She shared her story with Bradway. According to the release:
Bradway was dumbfounded that in 2022 one still cannot say what one wants to say, be who one wants to be, or act the way one wants to act. She was angry and thought of the many times that she had been asked to be quiet, told she was too passionate, too assertive, and just too much.
Bradway reflected on how her eleven-year-old daughter had been asked to change how she dressed because what she was wearing was said to be too distracting to boys. This frustration, together with her reaction to Tuck’s experience, prompted her 8 Visions photographic portraits.
To create her work, Bradway invited a range of individuals to portray how they felt during a time when they were personally experiencing a restrictive situation, one where their actions or words were clearly being curtailed. Tuck’s Censor Sash was given to each subject to use as a prop within the portrait.
Each of Bradway’s photographs will be accompanied by the subject’s reflections on their situation, serving as narration for the image on view.
The exhibit will be on display with free admission from July 29th to August 26th. (Gallery hours are 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, Tuesdays – Saturdays.)
A special reception will be held on Saturday, July 30th from 2:00 – 4:00 pm. (Reservations are not required, but are appreciated – by July 29th at 508-222-2644 x10 or office@attleboroartsmuseum.org.)
The museum is at 86 Park St in Attleboro. (You can learn more here.)
