When the Florida Department of Education released a list of nearly 700 books that were removed or discontinued from public schools during the 2023-2024 school year, multi-award-winning sculptor and activist Shelly Steck-Reale fought back, using art as a vehicle for reflection and conversation. On Friday, March 7th from 6 – 9 PM, Steck-Reale will continue and advance the conversation at a new exhibition of her work opening at Brenda McMahon Gallery and will return for an artist talk at the gallery on March 20th.
The new exhibit, named ‘And Still I Rise’ after the recently banned poem of the same name by Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Maya Angelou, consists of seven sculptures of voices silenced by banned books: women, people of color, LBGBTQ+, the disabled, and immigrants, all sitting on a wood carved stack of banned books. The opening will also feature Tampa-based poet Stephanie Jackson performing a rendition of the title poem, as well as one of her original works.
Steck-Reale views the suppression of books as a threat to free speech, particularly voices from marginalized communities: “Though banning books has always been part of the authoritarian nature of suppression, I see it, and my art reflects it, as a metaphor for the silencing of voices overall,” says Steck-Reale. “We are not only experiencing erasure through book banning; but voices are also being silenced through unjust legislation, outdated systems of exclusion, and Executive Orders.”
On Friday, April 4th, the gallery welcomes painter Bobbi Pratte as its Featured Artist. Pratte’s love for flowers and gardening deeply inspires her paintings and are an ideal complement to the new season. Jazz singer Fiona Frensche will be on-hand with her sultry tunes, while saxophonist Henry Ashwood will be playing throughout the opening.
To follow updates on the events, follow @BrendaMcMahonGallery on Facebook and Instagram, or visit the gallery’s homepage at https://brendamcmahongallery.com/. Brenda McMahon Gallery is located at 2901 Beach Boulevard S in downtown Gulfport. •
