‘Turn the Volume Up!’: Nasher Museum Explores Art's Role in Social Movements

On November 16, 2023, the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University will debut Turn the Volume Up!, an exhibition dedicated to art as a tool for protest. This collection spans six decades, tracing artists’ responses to systemic injustice and cultural upheaval.

The exhibition opens with a striking juxtaposition: Faith Ringgold’s American People Series #20: Die (1967) depicts racial violence, positioned near Glenn Ligon’s Untitled (I Am a Man) (1988), a minimalist rendering of the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers’ strike slogan. Together, they illustrate how artists transform collective trauma into calls for justice. These works are part of the Nasher's permanent collection, supplemented by loans from institutions like the Studio Museum in Harlem.

Trevor Schoonmaker, the Nasher’s chief curator, describes the exhibition as "a conversation across generations." He notes that the curatorial team balanced historical anchors with works by emerging artists addressing contemporary issues. "The goal," he explains, "is to demonstrate that the struggle for equity is fueled by artists."

Emory Douglas, a pivotal figure in the Black Panther Party, transformed the Panthers’ policy platform into accessible visuals through graphic design. His work, including All Power to the People! (1969), is featured alongside Barbara Kruger’s Your Body is a Battleground (1989), a feminist response to anti-abortion legislation that remains relevant today.

For younger audiences unfamiliar with this imagery, the exhibition includes panels linking works to specific protests. A QR code next to each piece directs viewers to archival footage and interviews, contextualizing the art's significance. This approach acknowledges a digital-native audience while grounding the exhibition in scholarship.

The Nasher’s decision to stage Turn the Volume Up! aligns with a broader shift toward engaging with social issues. In his essay for the exhibition catalogue, Dr. Steven Nelson, Dean of the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, frames this as a necessary response to "an era of erasure." He argues that museums must "preserve and present narratives that challenge hegemonic forces."

Yet the exhibition does not shy away from critique. One section, titled Complicity and Resistance, features works questioning the role of art institutions. Andrea Fraser’s Museum Highlights: A Gallery Talk (1989) is presented alongside Fred Wilson’s Mining the Museum (1992), interrogating how museums have marginalized artists of color and women. This invites viewers to consider art’s capacity to challenge power and the systems that display it.

The exhibition concludes with an installation by Tania Bruguera, The Francis Effect (2014–ongoing), where visitors write letters advocating for systemic change. Bruguera designed this piece to inspire action beyond the museum walls. By including this interactive component, the Nasher underscores that art must inspire action.

While Turn the Volume Up! addresses the relevance of protest art, questions remain about its broader implications. As Schoonmaker acknowledged during a panel discussion, "Art can provoke, but it can also be defanged in a museum context. Our hope is to disrupt that dynamic."

The exhibition runs through March 24, 2024, and includes public programs, such as a keynote lecture by Ringgold on January 18. Tickets are $12 (free for students) and available on the museum’s website. Whether audiences leave inspired or unsettled, Turn the Volume Up! asserts art’s enduring role in the fight for social change.