The idea for Future Mothers arose out of the shared concerns of two artists, women, and mothers. For over twelve years, my collaborator Colleen Kinsella and I have worked side by side in the printmaking studio and the classroom. Our conversations about our lives, work, and students are always anchored in our strong sense of equity and social justice, shaped by feminist values and the belief in art as a force for social change.
We continually challenge ourselves, each other, our colleagues and students with provocative and difficult questions that confront our assumptions and push against oppressive boundaries of race, class and gender. Understanding the power and critical importance of these questions, we also recognize a profound need for spaces of interaction that allow individuals to come together for honest, radical dialog across differences.
Our concerns as artists have drifted away from the art world towards the creation of a more inclusive feminist woman space where we can engage with individuals in critical conversations about the world's most pressing concerns. As we live out our fragmented daily lives in a world so full of urgent emails to answer, work to be completed, deadlines to meet, perhaps the most urgent need at hand is to engage with others in authentic, challenging and solidarity building dialog.
Welcome to the Future Mothers Tent, please come in. We have a question for you.
Hinge Collaborative is the artist team of Séan Alonzo Harris and Elizabeth Jabar.
Growing up we experienced the power of art as a place of refuge and an expression of our true selves. We both spent time in after-school arts programs with teachers and mentors who showed us that art-making was our first voice, a way to be seen and communicate with the world. Making art unlocked our purpose, gave meaning to our lives and provided a space for joy, healing, community, and pathway to our future.
After 30 years of experience in making, exhibiting, teaching and public engagement initiatives, we are launching a creative studio to share our models and strategies for socially engaged art and civic action. Our practices facilitate deep learning, forge relationships and design solutions through active participation, social experience, and creative experimentation.
We are professional studio artists and consultants to various for-profit and nonprofit entities and design arts programming, curriculum and community partnerships that promote civic engagement, mentorship and cultural participation. We produce a range of social change projects that connect youth, emerging and established artists, together with community partners, including art institutions, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and educational institutions.
Our endeavors include workshops, exhibitions, public creative interventions and participatory projects, limited edition prints, photographs, and community cultural events.
“As socially engaged artists, educators and bridge builders, we believe firmly that art and artists make communities better and provide essential opportunities for people to connect and thrive.”