See Her by Ann Lewis, 2017

In July of 2017 Ann Lewis, worked with women in a local residential reentry facility run by Community Resources for Justice, to create See Her. See Her a mixed-media mural, illuminated the specific realities, desires, and decisions facing women transitioning out of prison. The mural features one of the facility residents, Laura, a Boston native, as a reflection on the inherent worth, strength, and potential of all women.

“...it feels imperative to use our collaborative talents to highlight, honor, and support a community that is often invisible. Women, in particular, who are caught up in our correctional systems are often overlooked.”

— Ann Lewis

Thrive, 2017

Supporting women and feminist expressions. 

Thrive was a co-curated exhibition at The Beehive, in Boston, MA from September 13 — October 18, 2017 in celebration of the restaurant's 10th anniversary.

The eighteen paintings, photographs, and sculptures in Thrive championed feminist expressions in their subject matter and represented artists who are fiercely committed to non-traditional, collaborative artistic practices.

The eight artists in this all-female exhibition were chosen for the mastery of their craft, their stunning aesthetic, and their convictions. The works in this exhibition explore the power of female resilience and creativity—whether they are supporting incarcerated women, drawing attention to our impact on the environment, or lifting up the voices of underrepresented women. The exhibition artists support the production of knowledge that refuses to be reproduced in the dominant white cultural structure. Their work promotes social change and a world in which we can all thrive.

Thrive artist included Ann Lewis, Rania Matar, Maria Molteni, Chanel Thervil, Silvia López Chavez, Elisa H. Hamilton, Evelyn Rydz, and the Safarani Sisters (Farzaneh and Bahareh Safarani).

Thrive was co-curated by Jennifer Epstein and Kate Gilbert, founder and director of Now + There, and is part of Now + There’s Year of the Woman programming. The exhibition takes its name from one of the works in the exhibition, a word hidden in Ann Lewis’ collage “Objects of a Dehumanized World”.  

Cover image: detail of "Shannon, Boston Massachusetts, 2010"  by Rania Matar; courtesy of Carroll and Sons.