Image: Allium Giganteum, cyanotype print by Sri Thumat
Pressure creates diamonds…
Threats to democracy are rising. Free speech is in jeopardy and the arts censored. The call to act has never been louder.
“We Create Diamonds” is a call to the creative community in response to the wide-spreading events sweeping the nation. With each day, we seem to be facing a new hardship — as well as pre-existing ones — that push us as a society to the limit of what we as a people can endure.
But despite these setbacks, the people have put pressure to advocate for change. This glimmer of resistance has become a beacon of hope, reminding us of what is important and allowing us to shine through even brighter than before.
How do we create diamonds? Our common unity, a deep and searing passion for a better and brighter future, is our strength not to simply endure, but to stand our ground and outlast all that is stacked against us. With the ever-growing pressure and uncertainty of what the future holds, we know one thing is for certain — the harder they push back, the brighter we shine.
At this moment, art is more important than ever. It connects and unites. “We Create Diamonds” celebrates those experiences, cultures, and identities that shape the many facets of our nation; because, together we can make something beautiful.
EXHIBITION DATES:
March 21-April 18, 2026
Gallery Hours: Saturday and Sundays; 1 pm- 5 pm
EVENTS:
Opening Reception
Saturday, March 21, 6 pm-8 pm
Facebook event
Resistance Through Community and Music
Friday, April 10, 7 pm-9 pm
A celebration of freedom and protest with Boston songwriters Danielle Miraglia, Jen Kearney and Grace Gervitz– a benefit for the Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network (BIJAN)
Facebook event
Closing Reception
Saturday, April 18, 6 pm-8 pm
Facebook event
LOCATION:
Nave Gallery (Teele Square), 155 Powder House Blvd, Somerville, MA
Admission: Free and open to the public
Accessibility: No wheelchair access
ARTISTS:
Floberlee Antoine, Missy Arellano, Paula Avila, Resa Blatman, Pamela Bower-Basso, Nancy Hall Brooks, Dominique Butori, Liv Cappello, Gordon D Chase, Deyaniera “DeyCloud” Claudio, Jonathan Donahue, Nile Drochak, Rachael Dubinsky, Jasmine Eastman, Sam Forsythe, Naijah Garrett, Dina Gjertsen, Julio Guity, Chandra Hellweg-Gillespie, Janet Homans, Marky Kauffmann, Addison Kielpinski, Ivan Korn, Monica Kwok, Teymura Landsverk, Sherwin Long, Monique McNally, Iaritza Menjivar, Iku Oseki, Katya Popova, Rajiv Raman, Anne Randolph, Rowan Raskin, Lizzie Rutberg, Erika Schwarz, Karl Stephan, Vanessa R Thompson, Sri Thumati, Erika Uno and Gray Winburne
CURATOR’S NOTE:
In the face of adversity, “We The People” have undergone so many changes — adapting, adjusting, and at times compromising. But with the odds stacked against us, there are those of us who take that pressure and hurt, to transform it into beauty and hope, shining brighter than ever as the world around us grows dim. “We Create Diamonds” serves to highlight a selection of artists who have taken a step towards shining a bit of that light back into the world through their stories, their voices, and through their art, reclaiming and redefining what it means to be We, The People.
ABOUT THE CURATOR:
Michael Talbot is a Jamaican-born, Boston-based Freelance Artist and Visual Storyteller who has worked on a wide range of projects, murals, exhibitions, and showcases since 2012.
His work, often narrative-driven, is most characterized by the keen use of motion, negative space, as well as a limited palette reminiscent of graphic novels and other forms of sequential art. His passion and interest for storytelling is the forefront in his practice and craft, he tends to draw from his knowledge in as many areas of study as possible to help strengthen this process. Talbot’s work can be seen throughout the Greater Boston area, including Somerville and has two murals in East Somerville at Connexion and the Deano’s Pasta building.
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Somerville Arts Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
