Those Without Voice

Those Without Voice—a Partnership for Youth Exhibition presented by the Associated Recreation Council RecTech Program at Yesler Community Center and the Frye Art Museum—is an exploration of sight and perspective. Created by youth and interpreted through photography and video, this exhibition comprises an array of images that reflect on what constitutes art, offer alternative visions of urban life, and acknowledge the blind eye that society turns towards injustice. In bringing a refined lens and complexity of thought to this unified theme, the student artists affirm the diversity and strength of young people’s world view, while also asking the viewer to consider the dynamics of power associated with vision and perception.

The works, developed over the course of fourteen after-school sessions, represent a display of informed and intentional agency. The students created photographic and video works reflecting issues of importance to them. Through this creative process, they acquired professional design and production skills, and refined their abilities to discern and critique their social environment.

Those Without Voice was organized by Negarra A. Kudumu, Manager of Public Programs, and features the work of Filsan Abdisatar, Asma Adam, Abdisemed Ali, Gebre Engeda, Angel Hadnot, Beza Hailu, Ryo Nguyen, Emran Nuru, and Zaidaan Shibuya. Teaching artist Derek Edamura provided instruction in digital photography and video production.