“When we see acts of racism, it affects us deeply and takes a physical, mental and emotional toll. We must reach out and support each other as we process what has happened.”
CU Boulder Chancellor Phil DiStefano, May 29, 2020
Dear CU Art Museum community,
Our museum staff is firm in our commitment to equity and fairness in our work and in the world. We condemn racism and stand in solidarity with communities here in Colorado and throughout the country during these painful times. We are proud to be a part of a campus with a richness of resources and voices that examine the complexity of the situation we face today including: The Center for the Humanities and the Arts and the Department of Ethnic Studies.
We’re also inspired, and humbled, by the recent words of Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture:
“Although it will be a monumental task, the past is replete with examples of ordinary people working together to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges. History is a guide to a better future and demonstrates that we can become a better society—but only if we collectively demand it from each other and from the institutions responsible for administering justice.”
We hope you too, will find inspiration to help build a stronger community for all.
Sincerely,
The CU Art Museum team
In her drawings, paintings and prints (as above), Julie Mehretu presents interconnected systems that set into motion change and transformation.
Image credit: Julie Mehretu, Ethiopian American, b.1970, Untitled, 2006, etching, engraving, drypoint, 28 1/4 x 23 1/4 inches, Gift of Polly and Mark Addison to the Polly and Mark Addison Collection, CU Art Museum, University of Colorado Boulder, 2017.01.11. Photo: Jeff Wells, © Julie Mehretu.