Art galleries are coming in full swing for the new year! Young emerging talents are putting their own—and classic—work on display to commemorate protest art throughout the 20th century.
On Friday, February 6th, James Madison University’s student-led gallery hosted the opening night of their new location: The Arts, in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Nestled in the scenic Shenandoah Valley, Harrisonburg is the perfect spot for young adults to kick-start their careers with the support of the university and its budding vivacity.
The event, dubbed “The First Friday,” featured two exhibits curated by student interns of the Madison Art Collection (MAC). Another exhibit contained student artwork from the previous fall semester.
On the first floor of The Arts, undergraduate senior Joshua Vasely presented his debut exhibit, “Artist Revolutions,” of thirteen works, twelve of which were supplied by the MAC. Vasely is currently pursuing a major in Art History with a minor in Anthropology. He is also the president of the Madison Art History Student Association and and an intern for the MAC.
Step into the exhibit:
You walk through the dual glass doors, a rush of warmth relieving you from the bitter winter air outside. Soft piano music floats through the room, as warm yellow spotlights illuminate the pieces hanging on the wall.
On the first floor, you stop by a plaque, matte black labeled with golden letters: “Artist Revolutions.” It reads, “Revolutions are more than just historical events that have faded into obscurity. They often produce lasting and widespread impacts across both regions and periods of time.” (Joshua Vasely ’26).
The first piece you see is Roy Lichtenstein’s “Jobs…Not Cheese! Moffett for Senator” (1982), a comedic representation of Ronald Reagan with a slice of cheese as his head. The piece pokes fun at Reagan’s campaign to promote more dairy consumption and revitalize the market rather than working to create more jobs for American workers.
You continue on through the exhibit, observing political cartoons by Jeff MacNelly, a critique of antisemitism by the modernist artist Marc Chagall, and protest works by the social realist Ben Shahn. Shahn’s piece “This is Nazi Brutality” (1942) is powerful with the spirit of courage and justice.
The exhibit ends with Robert Shetterly’s “Grace Lee Boggs” (2006), a portrait within his “Americans Who Tell The Truth” gallery. Boggs was a social and political activist for the majority of her life. She supported the notion that change begins among and within our communities. The quotation in the piece reads: “We need a vision that recognizes that we are at one of the great turning points in human history.”
Curator’s vision:
Vasely’s exhibit underscores how art grants people a voice to speak up about the issues that are important to them. The plaque you read earlier, and which you will see again in a new light after viewing the exhibit as a whole, serves to remind you of why art is invaluable.
“Art has historically served as a nonviolent form of personal expression, while remaining interconnected with the foundational ideas of revolutionary moments. Artists can use their medium to critically examine and challenge systems of oppression using provocative imagery, text, or materials.”
Joshua Vasely ’26
Art doesn’t have to be made or expressed in any one way. However, we can’t deny that artists have utilized creation as a means to make a difference and speak out against injustices they witness or experience.
I had the privilege of being able to interview the curator, Joshua Vasely, to discuss his inspiration and hopes for “Artist Revolutions.”
An interview with the curator:
What was your inspiration for “Artist Revolutions”? Did you have a specific goal in mind while working on this project?
Vasely: I felt that, in the current state of the country…I had this opportunity to put something up that reflected my beliefs and what I want to see come from a more educated public.
He describes how time constraints and access limited his options but how overall, his goal was “to create a foundational level, or basic understanding, of how to read and interpret art” and to show people that “it’s not something to be afraid of” when it comes to confronting and interacting with it.
How did your early envisionings of the exhibit differ from the final product?
Vasely: I’ll tell you right away, the works in frames are a lot larger than what we had written down, but I feel that everything we do have up is still a solid representation of where I wanted to take this.
He wishes that he could’ve included more pieces, but he remains happy with the works he chose and the end result of the exhibit.
What were your parameters or guidelines for selecting which pieces to include in the exhibit?
Vasely: Finding works that weren’t too overtly left or right-leaning.
Because he was still representing the MAC, he wanted to curate an exhibit that spoke to all guests, rather than only those who aligned with his own beliefs.
Vasely: Other than that, I was given relatively free rein over everything.
Do you have a piece in the exhibit that is your favorite?
Vasely: I like them all very much. I think they each have their own strengths. Visually, I think my favorite is Ralph Going’s “Pie with Iced Tea.” It is a very much aesthetic piece, and it’s my favorite because it has the greatest range of interpretations.
He also enjoys Roy Lichtenstein’s “Jobs…Not Cheese! Moffett for Senator” for its comedic effects and slight dig at the then-president Ronald Reagan.
What stage in the creative process was the most challenging? Is there anything you wish went differently?
Vasely: The biggest challenge I faced during this was actually putting my ideas down on paper.
He had to condense the wall text for each piece so that it wouldn’t be overwhelming for guests to read throughout the exhibit. The Assistant Director of the exhibit, Maria Harvey, helped Vasely fit all of his ideas into the allotted text.
Vasely: She really captured everything I wanted to say.
How has this process shaped you or helped you grow as a curator? Do you see yourself pursuing curation in the future?
Vasely: Absolutely. I will tell you I’m very much a creative individual. If I wasn’t doing art history, I would probably be attempting to do architecture or some kind of design. Within the art history field, this is probably the closest I’ll get to that creative output.
He says that the experience of assembling the exhibit was more insightful and practical than simply learning the theory in a classroom setting.
What is one key takeaway you hope people will get from viewing your exhibit?
Vasely: When you get there and are looking at the exhibit from start to finish, I begin with talking about what revolutions are and the impact that ordinary people and communities have on them.
Experiencing the progression from artists’ use of ironic humor, to abstract emotional expression, to blatant societal critique, made the impact of art as a political tool much more explicit. Ending the exhibit with Shetterly’s portrait “Grace Lee Boggs” not only commemorated a dedicated civic activist but also reinforced that change isn’t something that can be accomplished alone.
Vasely: Her time as an activist has been centered around community as a force for change…So I think that the main takeaway is being able to rely on others to make change possible.
Do you have any ideas for your next project, or something you’d like to explore in the future?
Vasely: I would love to do some work with photography…Actually seeing and having this physical evidence of things that have happened is almost invaluable.
He likes that the medium of photography is so easy to access with the evolution of technology, as everyone has their own camera right in their pockets.
Do you have any advice for younger students or new curators getting into this field?
Vasely: If you have the opportunity to do something like this, absolutely, go ahead and take it. And with that, don’t be afraid to ask for help, especially when it’s being offered to you.
His advice almost mirrors the purpose of his exhibit, encouraging young adults to embrace the community around them to make a difference.
Vasely: If I could do it again, I don’t think I would do anything differently.
What can we do now?
Protest art, or political critique, isn’t something that only lives in the past. The events happening in America every day can be causes for new artists to take a stand and use their artwork to make a difference.
The more people who speak out about an issue, the more it will be discussed. Change doesn’t come from individuals—it is made up of individuals, working together to make their voices loud and clear to those in power.
Young artists who have grown up in the age of technology and instant, global news have been more exposed to political events and social injustices than previous generations. But as Vasely has shown, art can be the perfect medium for expressing those turbulent emotions and turning them into something productive and inspiring.
So remember, don’t stop creating. Don’t stop questioning. We are never alone in fighting for what we believe in.
Visit Vasely’s exhibit at The Arts in Harrisonburg, VA. “Artist Revolutions” will be on display until March 20th, 2026.
