The Museum of Friends in Walsenburg is pleased to announce Talking It Out Getting to Agreement a traveling photo and text exhibit organized by the Colorado Conflict Resolution Center. Also, in response to the other exhibit – 14 contemporary artists’ works on view reflect on the theme of conflict in Contemporary Artists Dealing with Conflict. Both exhibits will remain on view in the main floor gallery through July 24th.
Ezra Li Eismont is an artist who lives in Oakland, California and grew up in Brooklyn with his family and step dad Brendt Berger. In that RedHook neighborhood a great comradery with other artists was and still present. One of Ezra’s inspirations is Richard Mock for his versatile and prolific political cartoons (many on view in MoF’s permanent collection). It was an amazing gesture of generosity for Ezra to lend the work Center’s Collapse seen in the East Storefront Window. As many things are at MoF destiny was at play. Curator Maria Cocchiarelli expressed “when I first viewed this powerful painting and collage, I was struck by the connection to the theme of conflict and to the other artists’ works in the current show.” These include: Guillermo Pulido, Jan Wurm, Connie Hwang, Gerald Jackson, Eudora Welty, Jason Montano, Dimitri Yordanov, Ray Wisnefski, P.D. Garrett, James Boehmer, Maria Cocchiarelli and Brendt Berger. Some of the themes of conflict and resolution include: immigrant workers’ lives; the Asian American protest movement of the 1970’s; narratives of communication, conflict and resolution; the great American Depression and child labor; racism; the inequalities of military life; isolation and mental illness. The works on view are not decorative nor depict light subject matter and as such it is recommended that children who visit are accompanied by a parent or care-giver. This content is highly recommended for middle and high-school aged children. The museum is open from Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am until 5 pm or by special appointment.
