Reading as Resistance: Fall of Freedom National Day of Action

Art Papers is pleased to participate in Fall of Freedom’s National Day of Action by hosting an afternoon of live readings, solidarity, and discussion. We invite our community to come together in this moment of increasing repression, and to collectively share written wisdom written by those who have persevered in the face of reactionary, authoritarian attempts to silence dissenting voices. In this way, we will contribute to keeping the conversation going and tending the flame of creative expression.

Art Papers has invited a group of artists and writers to read-aloud texts that they look to for solace or for strategies of resistance. We invite you to join us, listen and discuss, and to contribute your suggestions to a collective list for future reading that we’ll construct together during the event.

Fall of Freedom is an urgent call to the arts community to unite in defiance of authoritarian forces sweeping the nation. Democracy is under attack. Threats to free expression are rising. Dissent is being criminalized. Institutions and media have been recast as mouthpieces of propaganda. #FallofFreedom @falloffreedom

In partnership with the Atlanta chapter of IWOC (Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee), materials will be available to send excerpts and reflections to long-term political prisoners.

Readers:

Heather Bird Harris is an artist and educator based in Atlanta. She is sometimes a curator, writer, and consultant focused on transformative learning and systems change. Her practice explores the throughlines between history and ecological crises, engaging with communities, scientists, and site-specific materials to investigate possibilities for emergence.

Rosa Duffy is an Atlanta-based artist, and the owner/curator of For Keeps Books. Born and raised in Atlanta, Rosa’s passion for both literature and visual arts led her to establish For Keeps Books in 2018, a unique bookstore, reading room and archive dedicated to celebrating Black literature in all its forms. In addition to her work with For Keeps Books, Rosa continues to pursue her own artistic endeavors, exhibiting her work in galleries and cultural institutions across the country. Her art serves as a reflection of her deeply held beliefs, exploring themes of identity, heritage, and the human experience. Through the diversity of her artistic pursuits, Rosa aims to amplify marginalized voices and foster community engagement. Her work as both an artist and entrepreneur reflects her commitment to social change and the transformative power of both the visual and literary arts.

Promotional Partners:

LOSTINTHELETTERS

FOR KEEPS BOOKS

Programming Partners:

IWOC

Printing Partner:

Southbend Commons Print Collective