Art, Power, Equity x J. Walcher Communications – “Curator-in-Residence”
JWC Founder Jean Walcher had always wanted to see the agency’s historic Sherman Heights office used as an art gallery – even better, for those who didn’t have the resources, exposure or opportunity to be shown yet in a gallery.
Walcher partnered with Kamaal Martin at Art, Power, Equity to make JWC’s office, a Queen Ann Victorian house, a dedicated exhibition space, thus forming the “Curator-in-Residence” Program, a partnership that began in 2021 and has taken place over multiple summers.
Art, Power, Equity is an arts-based enterprise that supports underrepresented artists and promotes equity, access and opportunity in the creative economy. It establishes relationships with Black, Indigenous and people of color artists and art professionals to develop projects and exhibitions that showcase those who meet at the intersections of under-representation, economic vulnerability and community development.
In addition to providing an exhibit space free of charge to the artist (and giving them creative freedom to do whatever they wanted with the house), the JWC team took the work on as a passion project and promoted it widely, securing interviews through art publications, and promoting each artist and show over social media.
Artists have included painter and sculptor Jean Cornwell-Wheat, painter and contemporary artist Andrew Alcasid, painter and fiber sculptor Katie Ruiz, printmaker Kelvin Lopez and interdisciplinary and metal artist David Mont Virgen. The artists were able to sell several of their pieces through this program and have gone on to have more solo exhibitions.
