Shame radiant
"Shame Radiant"
Todd Edward Herman
2021
Facilitating a survey-exhibit about our experiences with shame began by asking the questions: What can we learn about how we regulate, uphold or challenge social norms, hierarchies or transgressions when shame is activated? How can this powerful moral emotion turn inward, to ourselves, to our bodies, often catalyzing self-harm, self-negation, self-reflection, self-evaluation as well as healing?
A forum for such queries seems particularly relevant at a time when our respective relationships to a climate of amplified national and global conservatism, xenophobia, racism, transphobia, homophobia, and ableism have been significantly challenged.
I invited photographers, writers, visual artists, and non-artists from around the world to make work that collectively addressed their experiences with shame. The nearly 300 photographs, collages, drawings, and texts that were submitted in response look at deeply intimate, broadly political, emotional, physical, social, sexual, interpersonal, intergenerational, and institutional aspects of shame.
“Shame Radiant” hopes to offer an opportunity for participants as well as viewers to explore more of the personhood and less of the pathology of our collective as well as our outlying experiences of shame.
Participating Shame Radiant artists
RedLine Contemporary Art Center
Opening March 6, 2021
Adam David Bencomo, Adrienne Catanese, Aina Giró de Pedro, Amanda Coslor, Amy Fleming, Andrea Tejeda, Angela Cannatelli, Anna Lawrence, Anne Waldman, Annette Isham, Antonio Martinez, Ashima Yadava, Ashley Andersen, Barbara Arnold, Bob Benvenuto, Bootz Leigh, Breanna McGeown, Brileigh Hardcastle, Brittney Denham, Bryn Robertson, Cali M. Banks, Candace Shepard, Carlos Rene Castro, Carmen King, Carmen Torres, Carol Dass, Charles Lehman, Chihiro Mori, Colleen White, Cora Angel, Crista Cloutier, Cyrena Rosati, Dan Froot, Daria Ivans, David Balluff, David Keyser, Devon Wiggers, Diane Fenster, Dona Laurita, Edina Picco, Ekaterine Kolesnikova, Elanna Conn, Elena Larchenko, Elena Liventseva, Elizabeth Flinsch, Ellen Friedlander, Emily Duffy, Emily Gillespie, Erin White, Floriana Di Giorgio, Francis Kohler, Giuliana Funkhouser, Heather Goodrich, Heather Oelklaus, Hillary Leftwich, Holly Nordeck, Hormoz, Ira Kremer, J.P. Mot, Jade Lascelles, Jamie Johnson, Jeff Hersch, Jennifer Ditona, Jess Hilliard, Jesse Hanshaw, Jessica Herman-Goodson, Johanna Granger, Joseph Caster, Josh Bergeron, Judith Hornbogen, Julia Vandenoever, Julie Fowells, Julie Hamel, Julie Harrison, Julie Puma, Kacy Jung, Kaelen Williams, Kaity Bai, Kasey Ferlic, Kathryn Hart, Kayla Smith, Kellye Eisworth, Kevin Hoth, Laura Noel, Leah Diament, Leah Koerner, Lee LaBier, Leila Armstrong, Leo Tujak, Lisa Anita Wegner, Liz Quan, Lourdes Archundia, Luisa Zamora, Maria Grigoryeva, Marisa Lucchese, Marla Moore, Matt Calarco, Matthew Bollinger, Matthew Finley, Max Ferguson, Mayu Nagaoka, MB Gloria, Melanie MacKinnon, Melanie Walker, Melissa Lynn, Melissa Stuart, Michael Bach, Michael Dixon, Michael Honegger, Michael Mossman, Michael Pointer, Michel Dumont, Mickey Lee, Midori Morrow, Mikayla Shuster, Miria M. Toveg, Monika Balu, Natja Soave, Nina Cruz, Nino Memanishvili, No Land, Nyareeta Gach, Olga Engibarova, Olga Tomkowiak, Olivia Hunter, Ona Herman, Osamu Yokonami, Paola Katherine Rodriguez, Patricia Rose Rocha, Patricia Vaughn Coslor, Paula Gillen, Paulina Maguda, Peter Yumi, Phoenix Mayet, Rachel Rowland, Ranran Fan, Ray Stephenson, Renee Alpert + Douglas Kahn, Renee Marino, Robert E. Jackson, Roberta Guarna, Roberto Rabadán, Roddy MacInnes, Rohina Hoffman, Rubi Hernandez, Sabetty Heyaime, Sabine Woudenberg, Samm Hestan, Santiago García, Saoirse Rose Maybear, Shaye Garrigan, Sherry Wiggins, Luís Filipe Branco, Silva See, Stephanie Silva, T.M. Spring, Tal Ben Avi, Tameca Coleman, Tara Trudell, Toni Oswald, Travis Hetman, Tristan Norris, Valentina di Natale, Vanessa Leroy, Vee CR, Virginia Schick, Wendy Heran, Yvens Alex Saintil, Zachary Francois, Zsuzsanna Nagy.
Excerpts from Shame Radiant will also be featured online at the Femme Salée Salon in March 2021, and in the book Shame Radiant, to be released in conjunction with an exhibit at east window (date TBD).