Michael Coppage: American+

The Weston Art Gallery presents Michael Coppage: American+, an exhibition of new and ongoing lens-based projects exploring the negative archetypes and stark racial disparities still operating in the language and psychology of contemporary American culture. Through a series of provocative sound, video, and photography installations, Coppage’s participatory projects elicit questions and upend stereotypes by inverting historical scenarios and asking viewers to confront racist terminology.

Trained as a sculptor and painter, the Cincinnati-based Chicago native did not see “any broad sweeping progress in the treatment of Black people” until the murder of George Floyd in 2020 galvanized the world in solidarity for equality and inclusivity for people of color. That incident and tragically similar others, which he notes were known about only through video, inspired the individual projects within American+.

In Coppage’s words, American+ is an adverse response to the term African-American. African minus American implies that my American is somehow less than or diminished. The + represents that extra amount of energy and work it takes to land on equal footing with our counterparts from other races.” He aims to tell “troubling but true stories” that through his observations expose the inequities of being Black in America. The exhibition and its programming seek to create a greater sense of connection to each other through education, empathy, and understanding.

As an extension of his exhibition at the Weston, Coppage will present Care Bear, an adaptation of his photographic, video, and podcast series BLACK BOX that addresses racial stereotypes. This new exterior iteration of the project will feature a monumental vinyl mural of a singular Black male (BLACK HEAD), selected from the original photographic series of 13 portraits featured in the exhibition. Inspired by the popular cartoon series of the mid-eighties, Care Bear will be installed on the north façade of the Aronoff Center adjacent to the Walnut St. entrance of the Weston Art Gallery. While the issues addressed in the mural are serious and intended to provoke discussion, Coppage imagines this version to be more playful and interactive by activating it with projection mapping during the BLINK Festival (Oct. 13–16). The hope is to provide elements of surprise, awe and wonder to reveal the power of the message in a more creative and energized way.