Listen!

Listen! is curated by us, the current members of the RISD Art Circle, a group of teens from across Rhode Island and Massachusetts. United by our passion for art and creativity, we spend our Saturdays at the museum hanging out with each other, making art and creating opportunities that center our voices within the galleries. We, like many other teens, see the importance of fighting for what we believe in, and of pushing back against larger societal systems that don’t share our beliefs or values.

After more than 80 hours discussing and exploring the RISD Museum’s collection, we selected these 30 historical and contemporary works on paper because we found them urgent and powerful, directly addressing the issues we face while offering hope for the future. We have shared some of our personal reflections, poems, and memories on the labels throughout the galleries, signing them with pseudonyms. Our individual journeys shape the way we interpret these works and allow for a variety of meanings to emerge. 

Listen! is a selection of works that resonated with us because of our lived experiences and interests. We believe creativity sprouts from places of struggle, and that imaginative possibility pushes all of us further in our search for equality and the freedom to be ourselves. We hope that as you explore this exhibition, you’ll listen closely to the ideas that we present, as well as your own personal reflections and feelings. 

–Curated by RISD Art Circle (RAC) 2023–2024 members Abigail, Alaina, Audrey, Brenna, Deliska, Hope, Jasmine, Joshua, Lena, Olivia, Rayna, Seoyon, Tamar, Toby, and Viva; in partnership with RAC staff Graciela Batista, Mindy Ji, Sherly Torres, Gina Vestuti; as well as Christina Alderman, director of family and teen programs; and Conor Moynihan, associate curator of prints, drawings, and photographs