>>> PRODUCTION OF "BROAD & HIGH" IS FUNDED IN PART BY THE GREATER COLUMBUS ARTS COUNCIL.

SUPPORTING ARTS, ADVANCING CULTURE, AND CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY TO ARTISTS, EVENTS, AND CLASSES AT COLUMBUSMAKESART.COM >>> THIS TIME ON "BROAD & HIGH," WE TAKE A BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT THE LATEST EXHIBIT AT THE WEXNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS, MEET IMAGES THAT WILL DEFINE OUR TIMES, AND MEET AN ARTIST WHOSE WORK IS A CELEBRATION OF THOSE OFTEN UNDER REPRESENTED.

THIS AND MORE RIGHT NOW ON "BROAD & HIGH."

♪♪ >>> WELCOME TO "BROAD & HIGH," I'M YOUR HOST, KATE QUICKEL.

WE'RE HERE AT THE WEXNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS, ON THE CAMPUS OF THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY.

WHICH HAS BEEN AN ARTS ICON FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES.

IT'S MISSION HAS BEEN TO PROVIDE A TESTING GROUND FOR BOTH ESTABLISHED AND EMERGING ARTISTS.

BECAUSE OF THIS, AUDIENCES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE DYNAMIC CONTEMPORARY ART.

WE TALK TO THE CURATOR OF THEIR CURRENT EXHIBIT THAT LOOKS BACK TO THE PERIOD OF TIME RIGHT BEFORE THE WEX CAME INTO BEING.

♪♪ >> THE EXHIBITION CAME ABOUT AS AN EXPLORATION OF THE ORIGINS OF THE CENTER.

ALMOST A KIND OF LIFTING UP OF THE CENTER TO SEE WHAT'S THERE UNDERNEATH IT.

SO IT'S EXPLORATION OF THE HISTORY OF CONTEMPORARY ART AT OHIO STATE AND IN PARTICULAR THE HISTORY OF A COLLECTION OF CONTEMPORARY ART AND THE INSTITUTION THAT COLLECTED THAT WORK HERE CALLED THE UNIVERSITY GALLERY OF FINE ART, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY THE WEX'S PREDECESSOR.

AND I TELL PEOPLE THAT THE UNIVERSITY GALLERY IS, IN A SENSE, THE PROTAGONIST OF THE SHOW.

IT'S AN EXPLORATION OF ITS LEGACY.

IT'S IN THE MID 1970s AROUND 1974-75 THAT BETTY COLLINGS COMES TO THE UNIVERSITY GALLERY AS IT'S FIRST INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR.

AND SHE'S VERY INTERESTED IN THE BREAKING WAVE, THE CUTTING EDGE OF CONTEMPORARY ART ON THE WEST COAST IN NEW YORK.

VERY ATTUNED TO DEVELOPMENTS IN AND AROUND THE ART WORLD.

AND IS CANNY IN HER ABILITY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FUND THIS COLLECTION.

SHE BEGINS TO GET GRANT FUNDING FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT OF THE ARTS WHICH ALLOWED THE PURCHASE OF WORKS BY LIVING AMERICAN ARTISTS.

AND THAT PROGRAM IN COMBINATION WITH MATCHING GIFTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY'S DEVELOPMENT FUND BEGINS TO BRING REALLY SIGNIFICANT WORKS TO THE COLLECTION.

IN THE YEAR 1989 WHEN THE WEX IS FOUNDED PART OF THE BUILDING THAT EISENMANN DESIGNS INCLUDES A VERY STATE OF ART STORAGE FACILITY FOR THIS COLLECTION.

SO IN ITS BIRTH MOMENT THE WEX WAS ALWAYS IMAGINED AS THE PLACE WHERE THE UNIVERSITY'S COLLECTION WOULD LIVE.

AND THAT TRANSMISSION TOOK PLACE SEAMLESSLY.

THE COLLECTION WENT RIGHT INTO THE VAULT, AS WE CALL IT.

HOWEVER, YOU KNOW THE WEX AS AN INSTITUTION DEVELOPED A MISSION AND PROJECT THAT WAS REALLY BASES ON THE DISPLAY AND EVEN THE MAKING OF NEW ART.

AND SO OVER THE YEARS WHILE THE COLLECTION HAS YOU KNOW AT MOMENTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE VERY EARLY HISTORY OF THE WEX, THE COLLECTION HAS BEEN SEEN, IT'S JUST SORT OF GONE TO SLEEP FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

♪♪ >> I WANTED TO BRING THE COLLECTION BACK INTO VIEW FOR A COUPLE REASONS.

ONE, IT SEEMED LIKE THREE DECADES WAS A LONG ENOUGH TIME TO LET IT SLEEP.

AND I PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW, AS AN ART HISTORIAN AND AS A CURATOR HAD A REAL FASCINATION WITH IT.

AND IT JUST STRUCK ME THAT THERE WAS A STORY TO THAT COLLECTION.

IT WASN'T AS SIMPLE AS RANDOM THINGS COME IN AND OUT OVER THE YEARS.

BUT THIS, YOU KNOW, AT MANY CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS -- NOT JUST THE WEX, THIS IS A MOMENT OF SELF INTERROGATION.

AND PART OF THAT SELF INTERROGATION INVOLVES ASKING "WHERE DID WE COME FROM?

WHAT ARE WE MADE OF?"

AND THIS EXHIBITION CONTRIBUTES TO THAT EFFORT.

THERE'S ANOTHER POINT OF ORIGIN FOR THIS EXHIBITION.

I MEAN I STARTED WORKING ON IT IN AUGUST OF 2020.

AND YOU KNOW COMING RIGHT OFF THE WAVE OF PROTESTS SPARKED BY THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD.

AND I WAS THINKING A LOT ABOUT CAMPUSES AND WHAT THEY ARE.

AND ABOUT THE ROLE OF CAMPUS ACTIVISTS.

IT HAPPENS THAT THE STORY OF THE UNIVERSITY GALLERY IS IN SOME WAYS INTIMATELY TIED TO THE STORY OF STUDENT ACTIVISM.

RIGHT FROM THE 1960s THROUGH THE 1980s.

OHIO STATE IS THE SIGHT OF A MASSIVE AND VERY SIGNIFICANT STUDENT UPRISING IN APRIL AND MAY OF 1970.

AND THAT UPRISING REALLY CHANGES THE COORDINATES OF THE UNIVERSITY'S DEVELOPMENT IN THE YEARS THERE AFTER.

IT CEMENTS SUPPORT FROM THE TOP OF THE UNIVERSITY ON DOWN FOR REFORM.

AND REFORM MEANS LOTS OF THINGS.

IT CAN MEAN REFORM TO GOVERNANCE.

IT CERTAINLY MEANS REFORM IN THE UNIVERSITY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH BLACK STUDENTS AND WITH WOMEN STUDIES FOR EXAMPLE.

BUT IT ALSO MEANS CULTURAL REFORM.

AND PART OF THE STORY THAT THE EXHIBITION TRIES TO TELL HAS TO DO WITH THE EMBRACE AT THIS UNIVERSITY OF NOT JUST CONTEMPORARY ART, BUT VERY RADICAL ART.

ART THAT TRIED TO TEST THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT COULD BE.

BUT ALSO ART THAT ENGAGED POLITICS VERY DIRECTLY.

♪♪ THIS WORK REPRESENTS FOR US A POINT OF CONNECTION BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY GALLERY AND ITS PROGRAM, AND THE WIDER SCENE AND SPHERE OF CULTURAL LIFE AT THE UNIVERSITY.

SPECIFICALLY, BLACK CULTURE.

STULL CAME TO OHIO STATE IN THE VERY EARLY 1970s AND WAS PART OF THE BLACK STUDIES DEPARTMENT.

BLACK STUDIES EMERGED OUT OF THOSE PROTESTS IN 1970 AND WAS PART OF THE BROADER EFFORT AT THE UNIVERSITY TO RESPOND TO STUDENT DEMONSTRATIONS -- AND REALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE CENTRALITY OF BLACK VOICES IN THE LIFE OF THE UNIVERSITY.

THE PAINTING COMES OUT OF HIS ARTISTIC PRACTICE WHICH WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON BLACK HISTORY IN THE LONGEST AND LARGEST POSSIBLE SENSE.

THIS WORK REFERS TO THE SONGHAI DYNASTY, WHICH WAS A POLITICAL ENTITY IN AFRICA OPERATING IN THE 15th AND 16th CENTURY.

SO GOING WAY BACK.

NOT SORT OF INTERESTED IN THE ANCESTRAL ROOTS OF BLACK CULTURE.

ESPECIALLY COMING OUT OF THE BLACK POWER MOVEMENT OF THE 1960s AND '70s.

THAT INTEREST CONVERGED WITH HIS WORK IN AND AROUND CONTEMPORARY ART AND SPECIFICALLY ABSTRACTION.

I MEAN, THE WORK IS AN ODD SHAPED CANVAS, IT LOOKS A BIT LIKE A 70s ERA FEMINIST SYMBOL.

LOOKS A LITTLE BIT LIKE PRINCE'S LOGO.

BUT IT REALLY -- IT'S AN ABSTRACT WORK THAT IS TRYING TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO USE THE LANGUAGE OF ABSTRACT PAINTING AND THE MONUMENTALITY OF ABSTRACT ART IN ORDER TO HONOR A LEGACY OF BOTH PAST BUT ALSO PRESENT.

BETTY COLLINGS WAS THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY GALLERY.

SHE WAS ALSO AN ARTIST, AND HER INTEREST AS AN ARTIST REALLY INFORMED HER WORK, HER THINKING AS THE DIRECTOR.

SHE HAD A REAL FOCUS ON THAT PLACE WHERE THE CONCERNS OF ARTISTS RUBS UP AGAINST THE WORK OF RESEARCHERS IN THE WIDER SPHERE OF INTELLECTUAL ACTIVITY.

REMEMBER, SHE'S THINKING A LOT ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO RUN A CONTEMPORARY ARTS INSTITUTION AT A MAJOR RESEARCH UNIVERSITY.

SO IN HER OWN ARTISTIC WORK SHE HAD AN INTEREST IN MATH AND THE SCIENCES.

THE WORK OF BETTY'S THAT WE'VE INCLUDED IN THIS EXHIBITION, IT'S CALLED "DANCE.

"/E IT'S A MASSIVE, INFLATABLE SCULPTURE.

IT COMES OUT OF HER INVESTIGATION OF THE HELIX SHAPE AND THE GEOMETRY OF THE HELIX.

OF COURSE THE HELIX IS PART OF THE FUNDAMENTAL BUILDING BLOCKS OF ORGANIC LIFE ON THE PLANET.

IT IS THE SHAPE OF DNA.

AND THAT SHAPE, SHE'S TAKEN AS THE STARTING PLACE, THE LAUNCHING POINT FOR A WHOLE SERIES OF INFLATABLE SCULPTURES.

THEY'RE VERY SIMPLY CONCEIVED.

THEY JUST TAKE VERY SIMPLE GEOMETRIC RING SHAPES AND PAIR THEM, AND THE SLIGHT MISMATCH OF THOSE FORMS -- RATHER THAN CREATING A SEAMLESS THREE DIMENSIONAL RING, THEY CREATE THIS SPIRAL SHAPE.

AND THE SPIRAL, AGAIN IT IS A PREOCCUPATION OF HERS THAT WOULD CARRY HER FORWARD THROUGH THE REST OF HER CAREER.

THE WORK THAT YOU SEE HERE, IT COMES OFF THE WALL EVEN IF IT DOESN'T QUITE COME OFF THE WALL.

IT'S NOT REALLY A PAINTING, IT'S NOT REALLY A SCULPTURE.

IT IS AN ALUMINUM RELIEF.

IT'S ACTUALLY MULTIPLE PIECES THAT ARE FITTED TOGETHER VERY CAREFULLY AND THEY'RE ALL PAINTED IN THIS SORT OF GARISH WAY.

THIS WORK WAS SHOWN IN THE VERY FIRST EXHIBITION OF THESE SCULPTURES IN 1976.

AND BETTY COLLINGS WAS IN NEW YORK ON A BUYING TRIP FOR THE UNIVERSITY AND GOES TO SEE THIS EXHIBITION.

AND SHE CALLS HER FRIEND, THE ART CRITIC, ROBERT PINCUS WITTEN WHO WAS AN ADVISOR TO THE GALLERY.

SHE CALLS HIM AND SAYS, "ROBERT, GET OVER HERE.

YOU'VE GOT TO SEE WHAT STELLA'S DOING."

AND THEY'RE BOTH REALLY ENTRANCED AND SHE PICKS THIS WORK FOR THE COLLECTION.

BECAUSE THE ACQUISITIONS AT OHIO STATE WERE MADE WITH THE NEA, THIS GIVES THE ACQUISITION OF THE STELLA THE IMPRIMATUR OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.

IT REALLY CEMENTS IT AS A VERIFIABLE, GOVERNMENT APPROVED PURCHASE.

THE WORK FITS IN AN INTERESTING WAY WITH COLLINGS' OWN INTERESTS AS AN ARTIST.

ALTHOUGH IT LOOKS TO BE -- YOU KNOW AT FIRST GLANCE, THIS SORT OF WILD ASSEMBLAGE OF EXPRESSIVE SHAPES AND FORMS.

WITH CURLY CUES COME FLYING OUT OF THE PAINTING.

AND THE NAME ITSELF, "PUERTO RICAN BLUE PIGEON" REFERS TO THE NAME OF A SPECIES OF BIRDS.

SO YOU MIGHT IMAGINE A BIRD IN FLIGHT ABOUT TO TAKE OFF.

WELL ACTUALLY THESE SHAPES, THOSE CURLY CUES ARE PATTERNED AFTER THE IRREGULAR CURVES OF DRAFTSMAN'S TOOL KIT.

AND SO EVEN THOUGH THE WORKS LOOKS TO BE, YOU KNOW, THIS SORT OF RHAPSODY OR MELODY THAT EXPRESSES THE ARTIST'S OWN VOICE AND PERSPECTIVE, IT REALLY IS A VERY MINIMAL COMPOSITION.

AND ALMOST AN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE HARD SCIENCES.

STELLA THINKING ABOUT THE WORK OF DRAFTSMEN AT THEIR TABLE.

THE EXHIBITION IS CALLED "TO BEGIN AGAIN."

AND I HOPE THAT SHOW PROMPTS A NEW SENSE OF CURIOSITY ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY AND IT'S HISTORY.

OF COURSE I AM REALLY EXCITED THIS EXHIBITION BRINGS NEW ATTENTION TO THIS COLLECTION.

IT REALLY IS A SINGULAR COLLECTION.

THERE'S NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT, CERTAINLY IN COLUMBUS.

AND IT REALLY IS SO MUCH A PART OF THE STORY -- BOTH OF THE UNIVERSITY, CERTAINLY OF THE WEXNER CENTER, BUT ALSO OF THE CITY.

I JUST THINK THAT SHOW MAKES FOR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AUDIENCES, BOTH TO ENGAGE A PAST THAT FOR SOME VISITORS WILL BE FAMILIAR -- BUT FOR MANY OTHER WILL BE UNFAMILIAR AND NEW AND EXCITING AND RESONATES WITH OUR OWN MOMENT.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> "TO BEGIN AGAIN" CAN BE VIEWED IN PERSON AT THE WEXNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS NOW THROUGH MAY 8th.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CHECK OUT WEXARTS.ORG.

♪♪ >> THINKING BACK WE CAN ALL REMEMBER AT LEAST ONE IMAGE THAT DEFINES A POINT AND TIME FOR OUR COUNTRY OR US PERSONALLY.

IN OUR NEXT STORY MEET TWO OF THE PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO ARE CAPTURING SOME OF THIS COUNTRY'S MOST TURBULENT TIMES.

THEIR PICTURES MAY JUST BE THE MAKERS OF THE MOMENT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

>> THESE ARE PORTRAITS OF PROTESTS.

DOCUMENTED BY PHOTOGRAPHER O.J.

SLAUGHTER SINCE MAY.

THEY ARE THE IMAGES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS IN WASHINGTON AND BOSTON.

DEMANDING A RACIAL RECKONING.

>> FOR A LONG TIME WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD WHAT OUR HISTORY IS THROUGH OUTDATED TEXT BOOKS.

HISTORY STORIES THAT HAVE BEEN WHITEWASHED.

AS OF RECENTLY I AM UNDERSTANDING TO ME THAT THERE IS ONE SIDE AND THAT SIDE IS FOR BLACK LIBERATION.

AND THOSE ARE THE STORIES THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR ME TO TELL.

>> THIS GALLERY SHOW HANGS ON THE STUDIO WALLS OF WINDY FILMS.

WHERE SLAUGHTER HAS BEEN WORKING ON DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THESE TIMES.

IT'S WHERE WE RECENTLY MET BOTH SLAUGHTER AND PHOTOGRAPHER PHILIP KEITH.

WHO HAS ALSO BEEN DOCUMENTING PROTESTS FOR THE LAST FIVE MONTHS.

>> IT'S EASY FOR PEOPLE TO REDUCE BLACK LIVES MATTER TO A STATEMENT OR A SLOGAN OR START TO LOOK AT IT AS LIKE AN ORGANIZATION.

BUT IT'S QUITE SIMPLY A FACT THAT THESE PEOPLES' LIVES MATTER.

OUR LIVES MATTER.

SO I JUST WANT TO GO AND SHOW THE COMMUNITY OF THE PEOPLE.

>> BOTH PHOTOGRAPHERS SAY THERE IS SO MUCH MORE NUANCE, EMOTION AND STORY TO THE PROTESTS, THAN THE MAINSTREAM NEWS REPORTS.

>> THEY'RE REMOVED FROM THE CROWD.

THEY SHOW THE SIZE OF THE DEMONSTRATION, BUT THEY'RE NOT GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MOVEMENT.

I AM LIKE SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH EVERYONE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

>> AND WHAT DOES THAT ALLOW YOU TO -- I GUESS BOTH SEE AND FEEL.

>> I MEAN THE ENTIRE RANGE OF EMOTIONS THAT'S PRESENT.

>> I DON'T EVER LOOK FOR ANYTHING.

I ALWAYS TRY AND FOLLOW THE MOOD.

>> SLAUGHTER, WHO USES THE PRONOUN THEY IS ENTIRELY SELF TAUGHT.

HONING THEIR CRAFT OVER THE LAST NINE YEARS IN FASHION AND FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY.

ALL OF WHICH THEY SAY INFORMS THEIR PROTEST WORK.

>> PEOPLE WHO DON'T TAKE PHOTOS, DON'T ALWAYS UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH OF IT IS WATCHING BODY LANGUAGE AND BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE A PERSON IS WHEN YOU'RE TAKING THEIR PHOTO.

AND MEETING THEM WHERE THEY'RE AT.

EVERY TIME I TAKE SOMEONE'S PHOTO IT FEELS LIKE AN HONOR BECAUSE THEY'RE LETTING ME PEER INTO THEIR LIVES.

>> YOU START TO BUILD THESE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE.

YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH.

>> KEITH HAS BEEN PHOTOGRAPHING SINCE HE WAS A STUDENT AT BOSTON ARTS ACADEMY.

HIS WORK HAS APPEARED IN "ROLLING STONE," "THE GUARDIAN," AND "BLOOMBERG."

AT THE PROTESTS, HE SAYS HE DELIBERATELY AVOIDS PHOTOGRAPHING POLICE PRESENCE WHENEVER HE CAN.

>> BLACK PEOPLE HAVE HAD ENOUGH -- IT'S BEEN -- IT'S JUST BEEN SO MANY YEARS OF BEING, LIKE, BEAT DOWN AND NOT SEEING ANY CHANGE COME THROUGH.

SO I THINK BLACK -- I THINK IT'S HARD TO FIND MOMENTS OF JOY, BUT -- BUT THERE ARE -- OF PURE JOY.

BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE HAPPY TO BE TOGETHER AT THESE PROTESTS.

>> MOST OF THE TIME, THERE'S NO VIOLENCE AT THESE PROTESTS.

MOST OF THE TIME IT'S FRIENDS, YOU KNOW, WALKING TOGETHER, AND TALKING, AND THIS IDEA OF HEALING, VERSUS ANYTHING ELSE.

SO TO ME IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE REALLY POWERFUL MOMENTS OF PEOPLE WITH FISTS IN THEIR AIR -- IN THE AIR.

WITH PEOPLE IN COMMUNITY WITH BLACK JOY.

'CAUSE BLACK JOY IS A PROTEST.

>> BUT THERE IS, THEY'RE FINDING, DANGER IN THEIR WORK.

SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE OUR INTERVIEW, SLAUGHTER ARRIVED AT BOSTON'S COPLEY SQUARE, WHERE THE RIGHT-WING GROUP "SUPER HAPPY FUN AMERICA" WAS HOLDING A RALLY.

WHAT TRANSPIRED WAS RECORDED AND POSTED TO INSTAGRAM.

[ SHOUTING ] >> AS I'M WALKING, UM, A POLICE OFFICER COMES UP TO ME AND PUSHES ME.

I SWING ONTO ONE LEG, AND OF COURSE MY BODY'S NOT GONNA -- I DIDN'T FALL DOWN, I HAVE PRETTY GOOD BALANCE.

I STOOD BACK, I GOT PUSHED BY ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER.

I WENT TO TURN AND I GOT PEPPER SPRAYED IN THE FACE.

I HAD A PRETTY BAD ALLERGIC REACTION TO THE PEPPER SPRAY, HAD TO GO TO THE URGENT CARE, GET MY EARS IRRIGATED.

UM, I HAD REALLY BAD BURNS ON MY BODY BECAUSE I PROBABLY STAYED WITH PEPPER SPRAY ON ME FOR A LITTLE BIT TOO LONG.

>> HOW DOES THIS CHANGE WHAT YOU FEEL ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED TO DO?

>> I THINK MY MISSION HAS CHANGED GREATLY.

I'M MORE FOCUSED ON CREATING A PRESS COALITION.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR LOCAL HISTORIANS TO KNOW THEIR RIGHTS?

>> MODERN HISTORY IS OFTEN WRITTEN IN PHOTOGRAPHS.

THE FIGHT FOR WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE, THE ANTI-VIETNAM WAR PROTESTS, AND THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON, ALL REMEMBERED IN DEFINING IMAGES.

SO BOTH SLAUGHTER AND KEITH HOPE THEIR WORK RIGHT NOW, WILL OUTLIVE ALL OF US.

>> I DON'T THINK PEOPLE NEED TO SEE PROTEST PHOTOS.

I THINK THAT THE BLACK COMMUNITY NEEDS TO SEE IMAGES OF THEMSELVES WITH DIGNITY, AND WITH POWER, AND RESPECT, AND LOVE.

I WANT TO SHOW US IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT.

>> I HOPE ONE DAY, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE'S READING A TEXTBOOK AND THEY'RE LIKE, "WOW, I SAW THIS PHOTO OF AYANNA PRESSLEY, AND IT MADE -- IT MADE ME FEEL POWERFUL."

THAT'S WHY I DO IT EVERYDAY.

I WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL POWERFUL.

>> TO SEE MORE OF THEIR WORK, VISIT THEM ONLINE AT OJSLAUGHTER.COM AND PHILIPCKEITH.COM ♪♪ >>> NEXT, WE'RE CHECKING OUT THE WORK OF NEW YORK-BASED ARTIST, MICKALENE THOMAS.

SHE'S PERHAPS BEST KNOWN FOR HER DAZZLING PORTRAITS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN, THAT ARE ENCRUSTED WITH RHINESTONES.

IN THIS EXHIBIT, SHE HONORS THOSE WHO HAVE PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN SHAPING HER LIFE AND WORK.

♪♪ >> MICKALENE THOMAS, SHE WAS BORN IN 1971 IN NEW JERSEY.

SHE'S BASED IN BROOKLYN.

A LOT OF HER WORK DEALS WITH THE GAZE.

ALSO WITH THINKING ABOUT HER GAZE AS A QUEER BLACK WOMAN, AND WHAT THAT CAN BRING TO A CONVERSATION ABOUT ART HISTORY, WHAT'S BEEN ABSENT, AND HOW SHE CAN KIND OF CLAIM SPACES FOR, PARTICULARLY IN THIS SHOW, WOMEN OF COLOR -- BLACK WOMEN WHO -- WHEN SHE WAS LOOKING AT ART HISTORY, SHE WASN'T SEEING WOMEN THAT LOOKED LIKED HER, WOMEN WHO LOOKED LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE HEROES AND IDOLS AND MENTORS TO HER IN HER LIFE -- HER MOTHER, HER FAMILY, HER FRIENDS.

SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT.

>> UM, THE GAZE IS, UH, THAT ART HISTORICAL PRACTICE, PRIMARILY OF MEN LOOKING AT THEIR FEMALE MUSES.

AND THERE'S A KIND OF OWNERSHIP THAT TAKES PLACES, MOSTLY THAT WE'RE AWARE OF THROUGH THE, SORT OF, ART HISTORICAL LENS.

MICKALENE HAS SOUGHT, I THINK VERY CONSCIOUSLY FROM THE BEGINNING, TO TURN THAT CONCEPT OF THE GAZE ON ITS HEAD.

SO THAT BASICALLY, THE -- THE GAZE DOESN'T DENOTE OWNERSHIP.

IT DENOTES COLLABORATION.

>> IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT MY WORK HAS GIVEN -- BEEN GIVEN THIS PLATFORM TO PRESENT THE SITTERS FORWARD, PUT THEM FORWARD, PUT THEM IN FRONT, TO REALLY CELEBRATE THEM IN A WAY WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE VARIOUS BODIES OF WORK THAT HAS COME OUT OF EACH SITTER.

AND HOW MY RELATIONSHIP IS WITH THEM.

AND HOW I'M INVESTIGATING AND LOOKING THROUGH DIFFERENT TOOLS AND MATERIALS.

AND I THINK, A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THIS IDEA, OR LACK OF UNDERSTANDING THAT THESE ARE REAL WOMEN, RIGHT?

AND I WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL THAT SENSE THAT IT'S NOT JUST ME CHOOSING AND PLUCKING A WOMAN FROM SOME OBSCURE PLACE AND THINKING ABOUT THEM, THAT THESE ARE RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE BUILT.

>> UM, SO THE FIRST GALLERY IS DEVOTED TO HER MOTHER, SANDRA BUSH, WHICH WAS HER FIRST MUSE IN GRAD SCHOOL AT YALE.

UM, SHE WAS ASKED BY A PROFESSOR -- A PHOTOGRAPHY PROFESSOR -- TO MAKE A SERIES OF WORK ABOUT SOMEONE SHE HAD A DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIP WITH.

AND SHE AND HER MOM HAD A VERY FRAUGHT, ESTRANGED RELATIONSHIP, AND SO THERE WAS A LOT OF, KIND OF, HEALING AND REKINDLING THEIR RELATIONSHIP THROUGH THAT SERIES, AND AS TIME WENT ON -- UM, HER MOM AT ONE POINT WAS AN ASPIRING MODEL, SO WAS VERY CONFIDENT, BEAUTIFUL, STATUESQUE, AND SUBSEQUENTLY INFORMED, I THINK, MICKALENE'S INTERACTIONS WITH HER SITTERS.

THE NEXT GALLERY IS DEVOTED TO MICKALENE HERSELF.

AND SHE TALKS ABOUT HOW THINKING ABOUT SELF-PORTRAITURE, AND USING HERSELF AS A SUBJECT WAS REALLY VITAL TO THINK ABOUT HOW SHE WAS DEPICTING OTHERS, TO SORT OF, KIND OF PUT HERSELF IN THAT POSITION, UM, WAS REALLY CRITICAL TO THINK ABOUT -- THOUGHTFULLY ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A SUBJECT.

>> YEAH, ALL OF THOSE PHOTOGRAPHS CAME FROM, SORT OF THIS SEARCH OF WHO I WAS AND IDENTITY AND BREAKING DOWN STEREOTYPES OF BLACK WOMEN IN MASS MEDIA.

♪♪ IT'S ABOUT VISUAL PLAY AND IT'S ABOUT VISUAL MANIPULATION AND DESIRE, RIGHT?

AND WOMEN ARE BEAUTIFUL, AND I'M ATTRACTED TO WOMEN, YOU KNOW?

IT COULD BE MY LIBIDO LUST, I DON'T KNOW.

BUT, YES.

SEXUALITY, DESIRE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT I'VE PUT IN PAINT -- IN MY PAINTING IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, RIGHT?

BECAUSE IT'S HOW I SEE THE WOMEN IN MY LIFE.

IT'S HOW I WANT THE WORLD TO SEE THEM, YOU KNOW?

AND IT'S PUTTING THEM ON THE SAME PLATFORM OF, SORT OF, THE IDEOLOGY OF BEAUTY.

ALSO, VALIDATING AND SEEING -- AND ALLOWING PEOPLE TO SEE US.

SO WE CAN BE SEEN.

SO WE CAN REPRESENT OURSELVES AND SAY, "WE'RE HERE.

AND WE'RE -- WE'RE PRESENT."

AND SO OFTEN, THERE'S SO MANY OTHER IMAGES TO LOOK AT US AS THE OTHER IN A NEGATIVE LIGHT, RIGHT?

SO FOR ME, IT'S A -- IT'S A WAY OF CELEBRATING -- CELEBRATING WHO WE ARE.

I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT AS AN ARTIST TO -- WHETHER IT'S PERSONAL, CONCEPTUAL, WHATEVER YOUR GENRE OR THEORY YOU'RE WORKING FROM, WHATEVER THAT BASIS IS -- IS TO FIND HOW IT IMPACTS THE WORLD.

FOR ME IT'S ALL ABOUT TRYING TO INSPIRE AND MAKE YOUNG GIRLS, WHEN THEY WALK INTO SPACES LIKE THESE, THAT THEY FEEL A SENSE OF THEMSELVES, AND THAT THEY CAN SEE THEMSELVES, RIGHT?

THEY SEE THAT -- THEY FEEL THAT THEY'RE REPRESENTED.

>>> WELL, THAT'S OUR SHOW.

REMEMBER, YOU CAN FIND ALL OF OUR STORIES ONLINE AT WOSU.ORG, AS WELL AS ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

WE'RE GOING TO END OUR SHOW WITH A SOULFUL SONG FROM OUR "BROAD & HIGH" PRESENTS SERIES -- "ALL MY PIECES" BY PAISHA THOMAS.

FOR ALL OF USE HERE AT WOSU, I'M KATE QUICKEL.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ YOU CAN HEAR ME NOW CAN'T YA ♪ ♪ YOU CAN HEAR ME NOW OH CAN'T YA ♪ ♪ I CAN FEEL IT NOW THIS GREAT ESCAPE ♪ ♪ AND ALL OF MY PIECES ARE IN PLACE ♪ ♪ MM-HM ♪ ♪ PIECE OF PAPER IN MY POCKET DON'T YOU KNOW IT ♪ ♪ PIECE OF PAPER IN MY POCKET DON'T YOU KNOW IT ♪ ♪ IT'S SEALED AND IT'S WRITTEN FOR MY MY FREEDOM'S WAKE ♪ ♪ AND ALL OF MY PIECES THEY ARE IN PLACE ♪ ♪ MM-HM ♪ ♪ I'M GOING HOME TO THE PLACE MY SOLACE BY ♪ ♪ MADE MY WAY THROUGH WAKE OF MANY BLED AND DIED ♪ ♪ BY AND BY FINALLY THE PRICE BEEN PAID ♪ ♪ AND ALL OF MY PIECES THEY ARE IN PLACE ♪ ♪ MM-HM ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I SAID I'M GOING HOME TO THE PLACE MY SOLACE BY ♪ ♪ I DONE MADE MY WAY THROUGH WAKE OF MANY BLED AND DIED ♪ ♪ BY AND BY GOD FINALLY THE PRICE BEEN PAID ♪ ♪ AND ALL OF MY PIECES ♪ ♪ I SAID ALL OF MY PIECES ♪ ♪ ALL OF MY PIECES ARE IN PLACE ♪ ♪ IN PLACE OOH YEAH ♪ >>> PRODUCTION OF "BROAD & HIGH" IS FUNDED IN PART BY THE GREATER COLUMBUS ARTS COUNCIL.

SUPPORTING ARTS, ADVANCING CULTURE, AND CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY TO ARTISTS, EVENTS, AND CLASSES AT COLUMBUSMAKESART.COM