Weinberg/Newton Gallery (688 N. Milwaukee), a non-commercial gallery dedicated to promoting the work of social justice causes, today announced their 2020 – 2021 exhibition season. If we do not now dare everything will open to the public on Friday, Sept. 11 and run through Saturday, Dec. 19. Presented in partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the exhibition will examine voting rights in the United States of America through the works of contemporary artists Jaclyn Conley, Mike Gibisser, Ariana Jacob, Ellen Rothenberg and Sanaz Sohrabi.
“We are honored to partner with the ACLU at this critical juncture in the history of our country as they fight against efforts to curtail our constitutional rights, and hope that the platform we offer can bring this issue to the attention of a wider public,” said Weinberg/Newton Gallery Executive Director David Weinberg. “At this moment, we are confronted with the urgency of enabling all citizens to express their freedom and shape the future of our country through the right to vote.”
Planned to coincide with the 2020 election cycle and the November presidential election, If we do not now dare everything will look past partisan divisiveness and focus on the issue of voting as a fundamental right. Curated by Weinberg/Newton Gallery Co-Director Kasia Houlihan, the paintings, films, and installations on view will examine familiar emblems of American patriotism from both the past and present, meticulously parsing reality from the rhetoric. A robust public programming series, organized in collaboration with the ACLU, will also be offered throughout the run of the exhibition and encourage open dialogue on civil liberties, voter suppression and the role of art in social justice movements.
Weinberg/Newton Gallery plans to implement timed entry and design social distancing measures into the layout of the gallery in accordance with CDC regulations. Visitors to the gallery will be required to wear masks and reserve free tickets online in advance, in order to offer the safest possible viewing experience for all. More information will be announced at a later date on www.weinbergnewtongallery.com.
Exhibitions in the Winter of 2020 and the Spring of 2021 will partner with social justice organizations Earthjustice and Mercy Housing and address topics of environmental justice and affordable housing, respectively. Additionally, in the summer of 2021, Weinberg/Newton Gallery will be an exhibiting venue for the Smart Museum of Art’s exhibition Toward Common Cause: Art, Social Change, and the MacArthur Program at 40, presented in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the MacArthur Fellows Program.
In 2014 Weinberg/Newton Gallery framed an ambitious new mission – to become a presenting platform for social justice issues through collaboration with artists and non-profit organizations. The gallery aims to create space for dialogue about social justice issues relevant to local, national and international communities. Keeping in line with their mission, the gallery’s business model divides the proceeds from sales of art between the artist and the partner organization.
About the American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was founded in 1920 and is our nation's guardian of liberty. The ACLU works in the courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.
About Weinberg/Newton Gallery
Weinberg/Newton Gallery is a non-commercial gallery with a mission to collaborate with nonprofit organizations and artists to educate and engage the public on social justice issues. Through artwork and programming, the gallery provides a vital space for open discourse on critical contemporary issues facing our communities. Connecting artists with social justice organizations, we work to drive change and cultivate a culture of consciousness.
History of Weinberg/Newton Gallery
In 2016, David Weinberg Photography became Weinberg/Newton Gallery. The change reflected the values of The Weinberg/Newton Gallery Family Foundation, which has been led jointly by David Weinberg and Jerry Newton since 2009.