This is a virtual art gallery. Art by Johanna Jackson. 

The collages below come from an assignment in the Quaker Coalition for Uprooting Racism (QCUR). QCUR helps people to address white supremacy culture, especially in Quaker spaces. It is a nine month program.

 

Artist Statement

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Johanna shares:
 

Before you look at the prints on this page, it may be helpful to understand a how they came together. The collages come from a homework assignment for the Quaker Coalition for Uprooting Racism. Our facilitators asked us to study a part of Quaker history in-depth. What patterns of oppression showed up at this point in history? I studied George Fox's trip to Barbados. Surprisingly, I learned that Fox did virtually nothing to stop slavery during his visit.

Later, our facilitators asked us to explore our racial identity and our Quaker identity. On hearing this, I knew that I needed to spend some time reckoning with family's past. I am a descendant of enslavers. I was still angry about some of Fox's actions on the island of Barbados. I used art to process the emotions I was feeling. 

Each page of art starts with the words "Thou shalt not steal." This is because when George Fox met with enslaved people, he gave lots of advice, and some of this advice was "not to steal." It astounds me that someone could tell other people not to steal when their lives had been stolen from them. 

What had my ancestors stolen from others? These pages explore what comes up for me with that question. Content warning: The art includes references to slavery. One image shows an abstract picture of someone being whipped. Please take time to take care of yourself as you look through the pages.

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-Johanna Jackson

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