“Hope is a matter of attention,”

said Mateo Quispe, Poet Laureate of Auburn, WA. This statement, shared at a panel discussion in Southeast Seattle centering indigenous voices, is a reminder that hope is not simply an emotion or a passive thought; it is an action, an act of resistance lived every day that empowers what we pay attention to. Given today’s political climate and modernity drawing our attention in infinite directions, we challenged artists to pull our awareness towards a more hopeful, steadfast future.  

Light that persists.  A portrait’s quiet resolve or roaring laughter. Delicate weavings. Repetitive, intentional patterns that symbolize consistency. Each piece brings its own unique interpretation of what hope looks like to each artist. Despite the horrors and sorrows of life, both on a global and personal scale, what brings you hope? How do we stay grounded and persistent in our resistance against oppression, and what are small ways we can do this in our daily lives? What helps you sustain hope for a better tomorrow?  

Exploring these ideas and sitting with these questions, the selected artists from around the country were chosen from a competitive pool of over 350 submissions with works depicting Unwavering Hope. The exhibit intends to portray ideas or subjects that fill the audience with promise, uplifting defiant yet grounded perspectives that keep the embers of hope alive.  

——–

UNWAVERING HOPE, Columbia City Gallery’s 18th Annual Juried Exhibit, brings together artists exploring perseverance in all its forms. From moments of everyday tenderness to powerful acts of endurance, the exhibit offers a moving reflection on the people, places, and ideas that help us imagine a better tomorrow.

JURIED BY James Coley, King Street Station Program Lead, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture and Avery Barnes, Gallerist & Owner of Avery Barnes Gallery

FEATURING John Affolter, Deb Choat, Jo Cosme, Elizabeth Costello, Claudia Kimberly Crayton, Whitney Diggs, Malialani Dullanty, Carol Eaton, Brooke Gassiot, Deirdre Herron, Amuri Morris, Gabriela Nirino, Jelisa Peterson, Gary Rubin, Randall Steinke, James Thatcher, and Li Turner.

View online gallery here.