Exhibitions
20X20 POSTERS FOR PEACE
Slocumb Galleries (ETSU) / 232 Sherrod Dr., Johnson City, TN November 12 - 22nd
Finn Nygaard
Gitte Kath
Lars Pryds
Duncan aka Mervyn Kurlansky
Rikke Hansen
Cao Ruping
Hao Junjun
Zhao Chao
Eduardo Barrerra + Veronika Pocarovska
Eric Olivares
Gustavo Morainslie
Jose Manuel Morelos
Victor Gally
Ed Fella
John Gravdahl
Matt Chase
Oliver Munday
Sean Adams
Tom Davie
Pouya Jahanshahi
Farzad Adibi
Hassan Karimzadeh
Homa Delvaray
Majid Kashani
Saleh Tasbihi
Zahra Pashaei
ETSU Department of Art & Design and Slocumb Galleries present 20x20 Posters for Peace, an international exhibition organized by Pasaj Cultural Arts Collaborative and curated by Art & Design faculty Johnathon Strube, November 11 to 22, 2024. The public is invited to the Reception and Diversity Discussion on November 14, Thursday from 2024, from 5– 7 p.m. at Slocumb Galleries with panelists: Pasaj Cultural Arts Collaborative Director Pouya Jahanshahi, Dr. Michelle Crumley of Department of International Relations, Dr. Michael Bufano, Department of Political Science, and Nathan Farnor, ETSU Votes and Leadership & Civic Engagement, with Dr. Susan McCracken, associate Provost for Community Engagement as guest of honor.
Regarding the roots of the 20x20 Posters for Peace Initiative, Project Director Jahanshahi states, “Commanding the visual realm of the public sphere, posters have long been the medium of choice to communicate matters of urgency and social change. While the digital realm has taken posters to a new dimension, their power to demand attention from the viewer gives posters a platform of communication unlike any other. Whether by pure agitation or indirect confrontation, posters act as a one-to-one voice—a personal message from the designer to the audience. Furthermore, as a platform for interaction with society, posters bring forth the designer’s dedication and the social responsibility placed on their shoulders as communicators of the voice of dissent and social change.”
Posters as expressions of Peace were born in response to the ever-growing global military conflicts, explicitly addressing the animosity between the US government and Iran. In its inaugurating event, headed by Pouya Jahanshahi and cofounder Zahra Pashaei, the project featured 20 Iranian and 20 American designers in 2017. Since then, they have added designers from Mexico (2018), China (2019), Denmark (2021) and most recently India. Director Pouya added, “Amidst turbulent times—such as ours—Posters for Peace exhibitions stand as profound symbols, transcending cultural boundaries and echoing the universal language of graphic design. They encapsulate the value of diverse perspectives and humanity's rich cultural heritage. Hence, these exhibitions become crucial sanctuaries, fostering harmony, empathy, and understanding across diverse communities. Through artistic expressions, they not only ignite conversations but also celebrate the mosaic of human experiences, instilling compassion and reinforcing the innate human longing for peace.”
The organizers state: “These exhibitions remind us that cooperation and mutual respect can surmount cultural, ideological, and national differences, emphasizing that amidst conflict, peace remains within reach through collective effort and respect for one another, towards an expression of solidarity through design and a united voice for peace.” Curator Johnathon Strube is organizing a community discussion before the reception as part of efforts to encourage voting amongst students and advocate for peace.
