From the West End to the West Bank: Oppression, Racism and Resistance

The Hite Art institute is excited to announce From the West End to the West Bank: Oppression, Racism and Resistance on view at the Cressman Center for Visual Arts from September 10-October 8, 2021.

Both Louisville, KY, and Palestine have ongoing colonial and racist systems that actively benefit some over others. While sometimes it is an obvious act of violence, many times those systems are using legal and bureaucratic tools to discriminate against people. This exhibition uses photography to show similarities between the West End of Louisville and the West Bank in Palestine. It brings together photographic evidence documenting years of oppression in both communities but also the ways these communities organized, resisted, and survived these violent realties.

This exhibition is curated by UofL MFA candidate Shachaf Polakow in partnership with Cassidy Meurer and the University of Louisville Photo Archives, and Hite Exhibitions Assistant Jessica Oberdick. From the West End to the West Bank features the work of Kenyatta Bosman, John Cherry, Brianna Harlan, Gerry Seavo James, Abdul Sharif, Sean Mcinnis, Eric Morris, Sawyer Roque, Emmanuel Roque Perez, Shachaf Polakow, and Alton Strupp; images from the Activestills Photography Collective as well as photographs from the University of Louisville Photo Archives.

Full Press Release

From the West End to the West Bank: Oppression, Racism and Resistance is part of the 2021 Louisville Photo Biennial. An opening reception will be held on Friday September 17 from 5-8 pm. This event is free and open to the public.