In early August, we installed Protest Portraits exhibit for the first time on the Plymouth, NH town common. This was where the protests had been held. During the opening reception for that installation, Carolyn Lawson had a conversation with NH State Representative Joyce Weston. It was suggested that many people would like to see this exhibit at the State House in Concord, NH. Joyce and I thought it was a good idea. The next day Joyce went to work, presenting it to State House officials. After more than a month of communication, we finally received the permit to display the exhibit right in front of the State House steps.
A small group of Black Lives Matter protesters came around the corner while we were installing the exhibit.
The Concord Monitor ran a front page story about the exhibit. You can read the article here: https://www.concordmonitor.com/Painting-a-picture-in-more-ways-than-one-36068440
The exhibit had been up for four days when were asked to move it. Former New Hampshire Governor Stephen Merrill died on September 5. We were asked to make room for a short-notice memorial service in front of the State House steps in his honor. We assembled a Concord-area team that met in the evening. Law enforcement working with the State House helped revise the positioning to allow for a big tent near the steps.
You can see the exhibit at the NH State House through Sunday, September 13 at noon. It will be installed next at The Holderness School from September 14-22. From September 24 – October 3, it will be at Plymouth State University. Several other institutions have expressed interest in the exhibit following those dates.
State House installation / mid-exhibit move: Many thanks to Joyce Weston, Carolyn Lawson, Matt Kizer, Kree Woolley, Sydney Maville, Whitney Smith, Sharleigh Thomson, and Concord Police Department.