Building Inclusive Communities

media release: Street Art has taken many forms since it began to appear on the streets of New York City during the 1920s and 1930s; urban art, guerrilla art, graffiti. By the 1970s a cultural movement had begun and Street Art became a response by young people to their socio-political environment, rebelling against popular culture and mass media reality.  Eventually, the Street Art phenomenon gained the attention and respect of the rest of the art world and was soon considered a legitimate form of artistic expression. Today Street Art is represented in galleries around the world and major cities host Street Art Festivals.

The Monroe Arts Center is excited to bring this exciting art form to Monroe through the upcoming Building Inclusive Communities exhibit. The Exhibit will open in the Wellington/Muranyi Gallery on September 29, 2020, and run through October 23, 2020. Monroe Arts Center is located at 1315 11th Street, Monroe, Wisconsin.

The Building Inclusive Communities Exhibit will feature work by artists involved in The Downtown Street Art and Mural Project formed on May 31, 2020 in Madison, following local peaceful protests. The Downtown Street Art and Mural Project prioritized artists of color affected by racial violence and injustice. The artists who have shared their talent and their stories through participation in the “Building Inclusive Communities” project at MAC are Mike LRoy (@mike_lroy), Valendice Payne (@valendiceee), Keysha Mabra (@leugo_dreamer), Lilada Gee (@liladasart), Rodrigo Carapia (@rodi.art), Sonya Sankaran, Danielle Mielke (@dmielkz).

Concurring along the Building Inclusive Communities Exhibit will be the unveiling of The Color Room at MAC, a permanent installation and community mural at MAC by Mike LRoy of Madison.

The Color Room spans the stairway between the first and second floor, off the Wellington Gallery. The value of the Color Room at MAC lies in the conversations that will surround this work of art. With eleven different languages spoken in and around Green County, MAC will appreciate and celebrate our diversity with this mural. This is a collective piece of art that celebrates individuality and insists on dialogue. It is colorful and vibrant. It is thought provoking and opens our spaces at MAC to new ideas and important conversations.

The Color Room tells our story at MAC, while leaving room for the rest of the story. We are sharing our platform, promoting regional talent, and with this mural we are opening our hearts and minds to all that MAC can be as an art museum and a community hub where challenging dialogue is welcome.

Entering the Color Room is a unique event that promises a different experience every time you visit. You will be engaged as you are surrounded by color, art, and an expression of our world and our community.

The Color Room permanent installation and The Building Inclusive Communities Exhibit are made possible by; Paul and Sue Barrett, John and Katie Baumann, Dave and Julie Buchanan, Kevin and Chris Callahan, Bob and Wendy Erb, Marc Farmer, Lee and Chris Knuteson, Chuck and Chris Wellington, and Andy and Julie Wilke.