Art + Politics Grounding Dialog Blocktober 2022 Printmaking students from Florida State College of Jacksonville (FSCJ) and the University of North Florida (UNF) worked collaboratively at the FSCJ campus during Blocktoberfest 2022, printing large-scale woodblocks using a steamroller on October 21. Special thanks to FSCJ professor Patrick Miko. 

For the third year, MOCA Jacksonville presents a selection of prints created by students in the Printmaking course “Art + Politics” at the University of North Florida. In this course, students are encouraged to freely discuss and interpret, respectfully disagree and learn to develop common ground through art. Who doesn’t understand fear, abuse, depression, bigotry, and racism? Who never felt the weight of the darkness? Environmental instability, physical disability, displacement, immigration-these are all issues that threaten our peaceful co-existence. Some of us feel personally threatened; others are concerned about the safety of our natural environment. Amid so much divisiveness, we struggle to find commonality and tussle to practice plurality. It is perhaps simpler to segregate, detach, and selfisolate from the ongoing atmosphere of division-but is this the best we can do? The themes in the works presented here are controversial, yet together are harmonious. How did these young artists find a way to embrace the challenges and candidly discuss the yawning political divide? They established common ground among themselves and their dissenting opinions, learning something about each other, and establishing respect for one another as human beings. They imagined a future where individuals from across the political spectrum gain new understanding and ideas—and possibly build connection through respectful and open conversation. On the frontiers of developing common ground, students used creativity, developed their artistic practice, and worked in collaboration. This approach was a great place to start; and these largescale prints bridge all gaps. Sheila Goloborotko Assistant Professor, Printmaking UNF Art and Design Department featured artists Elysa Adams Jordyn Bowen Cro Cairns Noah Constantino Hannah Drelich Christina Emmanuel Robin Fisher Elizabeth Keller LaJoyce McGrew Mathew Messick Regina Obenza Jess Wojcik 

I am Glory Elysa Adams I AM GLORY Whether my breasts are broad or minuscule Whether my behind is wide or supine I am Glory. Whether I can bear fruit from my flower I am still Glory. I AM EXCEPTIONAL Respect Honor Prioritize Recognize Listen Acknowledge me, My price is far above rubies My name is Glory. 

Total Jordyn Bowen The universe is constantly swinging between intensities— light and dark, love and hate, life and death. Life is composed of an infinite number of dualities, each being vital. Radical love and light lie within a genuine understanding of nature, time, and space. We must begin to recognize our place within the divine. • Collapse and decay are necessary for growth. • Everything is connected. • Matter is neither created nor destroyed—the same amount of matter exists before and after any change. 

Environmental Awareness Cro Cairns An individual cannot enact as much change as we, all of humanity, need. It’s become increasingly easy to feel insignificant in the face of environmental collapse and the destruction evident daily. Powers beyond one person’s control do more and more harm every day, and it feels impossible to stand up to something like that. However, it’s our job as inhabitants of this planet to: • DO our part, no matter how small it may feel. Taking small actions to conserve water, reduce waste, or protect the life that exists in the world, can only do good. When each individual helps, the whole is helped as well. • TAKE NOTICE of the things that happen around us—our local ecosystems—and try to stay in the know about what is affecting other parts of the environment. • SPEAK UP when you see environmental injustice, whether small-scale or large-scale. Speak to local and federal representatives and those around you. 

Beyond the Veil Noah Constantino The pursuit of what’s behind the curtain calls into question our existential nature as conscious beings. • We must unveil the shroud of darkness to bring forth the light of a different essence that does not reflect the world as it is structured but as it is meant to be for all life. • We must break the bounds of understanding external evils. • We must first follow the steps of personal reconciliation. • We must radiate the light that is lost in our reality. 

Blood Drugs and Tears Hannah Drelich A heaviness, a longing for numbness, The fire and ice enter and distract from the noise, A whisper saying more, a heart weary from the battle, Black holes where a soul used to be; isolation and apathy, A struggle to keep up with moving time, Pulling at hair and scraping at the skin, A desperation to claw out of this form; A choking knot in the throat, a burning sensation in the eyes, Rapid shallow breaths, the silence is deafening; A daunting chill ran up my spine, tracks being left up arms and legs, A flash of regret and acceptance, Is this the formidable end to the fight? Feelings of despair and regret, a trail of tears grazing cheeks, Prayer position, unbearable static, A welcoming of nothingness, darkness engulfing. • Share Your Story – At your comfort level, speak out about your resilience journey and let other victims know recovery is obtain able and sustainable; offer hope and advice through your victory. • Speak Up – With so many misinformed opinions and thoughts regarding addiction, help inspire change by speaking up when you see or hear words and actions promoting unintended unhealthy biases. • Be An Advocate - Show your support by sharing your personal experiences with loved ones and friends who are also dealing with addiction. Stay involved in their constant battle during and after recovery to help eliminate the feelings of isolation that victims can have during detox and rehabilitation. 

The Scribe Christina Emmanuel A story only lives once. It happens, dies, and is reborn through the words of the people. Was it a tale of romance? An adventure to wow the ages or a mystery to escape the hands of the greatest minds? Whatever the case, it’s a story decided by one person. YOU HAVE THE POWER in your hands to tell this tale. Without stories, nothing has happened; but with them, we bring any emotion we choose to the consumer. As the scribe, you decide how your story begins — slowly, tantalizingly, painfully, amorously? — and how it comes to an end. You immortalize this tale in a medium that people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds may devour. You provide this ephemeral, glorious ESCAPE from the pain and suffering of the truth; you personify a feeling, a state of being, making it tangible as no one has done before. Without this ray of light, without stories, the world will fall into a dark silence. The people need their escape, their freedom. PASS ON this message: Inaction leads to destruction. HOW, then, do you decide what to do, how to tell it? You don’t know until you’re seated in that spot and facing the world of possibilities. Sit, then, and open your mind, let your imagination wander, and at this moment, realize that this world is nothing without its scribes. 

Love’s Foundation Robin Fisher Born or found—family is an essential part of the human experience. We all have important people in our lives that help shape us into the people we are today. Growing up, we never see black women depicted in the same soft, beautiful way that white women typically were. I love my family and wanted to dedicate a piece to them because they are beautiful and need more representation. • Promote diversity in the depiction of women. • Depict black women in beautiful ways. • All body types are stunning. • Scars do not diminish your beauty; they only display your strength and resilience. 

Mugwort Elizabeth Keller Abortion is under attack in the United States of America. Due to the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, pregnant individuals are more suscepti- ble to getting unsafe abortions and are in danger. Abortion is health- care. It is a procedure used to terminate a pregnancy that could be life-threatening or result in the pregnant person having numerous health issues. Abortion is a human right. It ensures the safety and well-being of American citizens. The stigma that people who need abortions are “irresponsible” is harmful and flawed. Everyone’s situation is different. No person or their situation is one-dimensional. Thus, allowing people to have a right to privacy lawfully and a choice in their healthcare is crucial. Actions you can take on this issue include: • Speaking up; your voice is a powerful weapon against injustice. • Exercising your right to vote. • Contacting your local political leaders. • Supporting your local Planned Parenthood and independent clinic. • Protesting against politicians, bills, and laws that aim to restrict abortions. • Educating yourself on women’s health and how a body with a uterus functions. 

Enough with the Bullshit LaJoyce McGrew Siren’s ringin’ Voices shoutin’ Bloods’ ah spillin’ The protests and battles of young people and many African Americans versus the system within America were HEAVILY prevalent in the Spring of 2020. Why did we have to witness George Floyd’s death after the buildup of a brutal attack on Breonna Taylor just 73 DAYS earlier? When will the injustice end? When will history stop repeatin’ itself? Young people took to the streets to make their voices known, their frustration heard, and their motives CLEAR: It should be EVIDENT that the Black Lives Matter movement is not just about defunding the police but also about disrupting state-sanctioned violence against Black people and bringing JUSTICE to the victims’ families, friends, and loved ones! • BE CLEAR when going over the injustice that Black and Brown people face in America and how we are striving to end this inequity TODAY • BE UNDERSTANDING and know the wealth and power of our history and how it continues to follow us into the future • BE FEARLESS when standing for a message you know affects your friends and family in hard times • BE BOLD against those who are unfair in our justice system • BE RESISTANT to those who use their privilege to diminish the livelihoods of Black and Brown people, as the end goal should be for us ALL to strive for unity and peace within America Enough IS Enough Sincerely, A Tired Black Woman 

We Wear A Suit of Armour Mathew Messick • To protect our mind and our heart • To defend ourselves from the thrashing of the outside world • To not let the wrong crowd know our weakness • To keep up an appearance of strength and will Despite That • The armor can hide our face • The chains of external troubles weigh us down • The armor can only protect us so much on its own • The toll on one’s mental health becomes too much to deal with Where are You? • When friends who can no longer manage their mental health struggle in silence • When you’re not managing your emotional state • When others around you build the stigma that being strong and independent at all times is the only way to be successful • When others reinforce the idea that getting professional help is terrible and means there’s something “wrong” with you So Reach Out • When you feel troubled and protecting yourself is too much to maintain • When you see someone else too scared to take the armor off and let their guard down, be a supportive shoulder for them to lean on • When you know someone, you can be vulnerable, so don’t be afraid to express your troubles with them. • When you see all the negative stigmas about therapy and showing weakness, provide a positive, safe space for others to heal and treat yourself with the same respect because it’s never too late to heal. 

The Prison of Eden Regina Obenza We are but just sheep To follow the words of God Translated by the mouth of a man We turn our eyes away From what we don’t understand And call it a sin Chained down to ‘paradise.’ But why? Why must I not see over the wall? To see a different view? Why do you plunge me into raging waters for asking questions? For doubting your beliefs? There is more to the world than ‘paradise’. More than these high walls. More than our beliefs. Unchain yourself and look over the wall. Because ‘paradise’ isn’t just here. • FIND UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE - Many of us can’t blindly follow the words said in the bible without question. Find these people so you can sort out your feelings and the loneliness can disappear. • ASK QUESTIONS - No one should deny your curiosity. It’s not fun to be left in the dark; ask your questions no matter what. • BE ALRIGHT - Your life isn’t just your religion; it isn’t what defines you as wholly. If you feel lost, it’s okay. You will be alright. 

Insignificant Significance Jess Wojcik We are human. We are flesh. We are electricity. We came from atoms, and to atoms, we will return. The end is inevitable. All we have is now. Make it matter. • Recognize your insignificance to the universe, and become significant to yourself for yourself. • Acknowledge your link to the universe. • Accept that only you can determine the purpose of your existence. You are made of living things recycled a billion times over. 

Art + Politics Blocktober 2021 featured artists Jordan Boutelle Hannah Glaser Izzy Narvais Helena Riedeburg 

Queerness Jordan Boutelle Queerness is as old as life. Women and non-men-loving non-men have been silenced and objectified for too long and must continue the fight for our right to exist with those we love. Lesbians of history have been stripped of their identity because it exists outside of an attachment to a man. Contemporary lesbians are reduced to a porn category created for and by men. Living as a person without a tie to any man is inherently radical in a patriarchal society—it is our right to celebrate this and love unapologetically. • Every non-man has a different and noble relationship with femininity worthy of respect • Lesbian is not a dirty word • Non-man loving non-man relationships have a right to visibility and to exist outside of the pleasure of men • Your history is tied to others • You are never isolated in space and time • Continue the fight of those before you 

Hysteria Hannah Glaser The history of medicine is woven with the history of gender discrimination. The perpetuation of cisgender heteronormative ideals has carried into the modern era to the point that autonomy can be stripped by being born with ovaries. We are beyond assigning identity on the basis of anatomy. Titles of gender identity should not be what defines the quality of medical care one receives. We may no longer use the word, but the taint of hysteria exists in every doctor’s office where a patient has been belittled with comments of anxiety, exaggeration, or had assumptions of “their time of the month” over their own voice. • NO assigning care on the basis of gender • NO assigning gender on the basis of anatomy • My mind is part of my body: listen to me when I voice concerns • Do NOT call me hysterical • The “time of the month” does not define the validity of my concerns 

Flourish in the Light Izzy Narvais We come from different places and different backgrounds. Our lives are a constant trial and error. There are pasts within all of us that make us bloom into the people that we are today. I wanted to share my story to create a safe place to talk. In the place of darkness and sadness that I sat in for so long there was a bright light and a flower growing through it all within me. I have been bullied, abused, and sexually assaulted. I take that as not a place of weakness, but a place of strength. I stand strong to be a voice to those who have been through the rough parts of this world. I am here to say that the light will always be stronger. I presented my pain for everyone to see and for those to see my vulnerability. I want to feel connected to the audience and be a role model for those who fight everyday to keep their heads up. There is so much space for growth within every individual and as a survivor myself I know my hand will always be open to help those who need it. • I stand strong among the dark. • I am a safe space. • It is not your fault. • I survived. • I will make a difference. 

Silent Suffering Helena Riedeburg It is essential we spread awareness of different forms of animal abuse that have been normalized and accepted in society. We, human beings, decided that we were superior and because of that we can treat any other living creature with no respect, like they don’t feel pain, distress, and confusion. Animals are bred and killed to be eaten and made out of clothes, and are kept alive for product lab testing, to hunt for human being’s own amusement, and to steal the milk they create for their own offspring. Due to this, animals cannot fight for their own rights, so other human beings must advocate for them. • Animal abuse is unacceptable. • Stop trophy hunting. • End cosmetics testing. • Cease slaughterhouses. • Protect domesticated animals. • Don’t take their offspring’s milk. • Ban wild animals in circuses. • Be a voice for them. • Help fight against global animal cruelty.